United States v. Candylizett Ortega

NOT FOR PUBLICATION FILED

UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS MAR 4 2024

MOLLY C. DWYER, CLERK

U.S. COURT OF APPEALS

FOR THE NINTH CIRCUIT

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, No. 21-10330

Plaintiff-Appellee, D.C. No. 4:18-cr-01892-JAS-LAB-1 v.

CANDYLIZETT ORTEGA, MEMORANDUM*

Defendant-Appellant.

Appeal from the United States District Court for the District of Arizona James Alan Soto, District Judge, Presiding

Argued and Submitted February 6, 2024 Phoenix, Arizona

Before: MURGUIA, Chief Judge, and HAWKINS and JOHNSTONE, Circuit Judges.

Defendant Candylizett Ortega appeals the denial of her request for “safety-

valve” relief from the mandatory minimum sentence she received after pleading

guilty to six drug-related felonies. We have jurisdiction under 28 U.S.C. § 1291.

The district court’s factual determinations concerning her safety-valve

eligibility are reviewed for clear error. United States v. Ajugwo, 82 F.3d 925, 929

* This disposition is not appropriate for publication and is not precedent except as provided by Ninth Circuit Rule 36-3. (9th Cir. 1996). Because…