Reported / Citable
Background
Brayan Yoel Fuentes-Sosa appeared with counsel before a magistrate judge on July 7, 2026, for a felony guilty-plea proceeding. The case had been referred under a general order for the taking of a felony guilty plea.
Fuentes-Sosa consented to having the magistrate judge take his plea, while sentencing would remain with the presiding district judge. He pleaded guilty without a plea agreement to Count One of the indictment, charging illegal reentry into the United States.
The Court’s Holding
After conducting Rule 11 admonishments, the magistrate judge found that Fuentes-Sosa understood the charge, potential penalties, and his constitutional and statutory rights, and that he knowingly and voluntarily waived those rights.
The magistrate judge also found Fuentes-Sosa competent, determined that his plea was voluntary and supported by a sufficient factual basis, and found him guilty of the charged offense. The magistrate judge recommended that the district judge accept the plea and enter a judgment of guilt.
Key Takeaways
- The ruling is a magistrate judge’s findings and recommendation, not a final district-court acceptance of the plea.
- Fuentes-Sosa pleaded guilty to illegal reentry without a plea agreement.
- The parties have 14 days to object to the recommendation; unobjected-to findings may be reviewed on appeal only for plain error.
Why It Matters
The recommendation advances the prosecution to sentencing, subject to the district judge’s consideration of any timely objections and acceptance of the plea.
It also reflects the Rule 11 findings required to support a guilty plea taken by a magistrate judge with the defendant’s consent.