Reported / Citable
Background
Cedrick Clay Moore was charged in federal court in the Western District of Texas. Rather than proceeding to trial, Moore opted to resolve the case through a guilty plea. Moore waived his right to appear before the district court and instead appeared before United States Magistrate Judge Susan Hightower for the taking of his felony plea and allocution under Federal Rule of Criminal Procedure 11, which ensures defendants understand the consequences of pleading guilty and have an opportunity to address the court before sentencing.
On July 8, 2026, Magistrate Judge Hightower filed a Report and Recommendation recommending that Moore’s guilty plea be accepted. Moore did not oppose the magistrate judge’s recommendation.
The Court’s Holding
On July 17, 2026, Senior U.S. District Judge David Alan Ezra adopted the magistrate judge’s recommendation and entered an order accepting Moore’s guilty plea to Count One of the Indictment. By accepting the plea, the court found that Moore’s guilty plea was entered knowingly, voluntarily, and with understanding of the consequences, and proceeded to the sentencing phase of the criminal process.
Key Takeaways
- The defendant’s guilty plea to Count One was accepted, resolving at least one count of the indictment.
- The defendant exercised his right to allocution under Rule 11 before the magistrate judge, allowing him to address the court prior to acceptance of the plea.
- The case moves forward to sentencing, where additional charges (if any remain) may be addressed.
Why It Matters
This order reflects the common procedural pathway in federal criminal cases where defendants accept responsibility through guilty pleas rather than proceed to trial. The use of magistrate judges to conduct plea colloquies and allocution, subject to district court review and approval, is a standard efficiency mechanism in the federal system. For Moore, the acceptance of his guilty plea marks the conclusion of the pretrial phase and sets the stage for sentencing, where his cooperation, criminal history, and other factors will be considered.