Reported / Citable
Background
Sobeida Maribel Rodriguez-Moncion appeared with counsel before U.S. Magistrate Judge Joseph A. Cordova for entry of a felony guilty plea. The matter had been referred under a general order for the magistrate judge to take the plea.
After being advised of her right to have a district judge take the plea, Rodriguez-Moncion consented to proceeding before the magistrate judge. She pleaded guilty, without a plea agreement, to Count One: illegal reentry into the United States in violation of 8 U.S.C. § 1326.
The Court’s Holding
Judge Cordova found that Rodriguez-Moncion understood the charge, penalties, and her constitutional and statutory rights; voluntarily waived those rights; was competent; and entered her plea freely and voluntarily. The court also found a sufficient factual basis for the plea.
The magistrate judge found Rodriguez-Moncion guilty of the charged offense and recommended that Chief U.S. District Judge Alia Moses accept the plea and enter a judgment of guilt. Sentencing was referred to the presiding district judge.
Key Takeaways
- The defendant pleaded guilty to illegal reentry under 8 U.S.C. § 1326 without a plea agreement.
- The magistrate judge conducted the Rule 11 plea proceeding with the defendant’s consent.
- The recommendation remains subject to objections and district-court review.
Why It Matters
The filing illustrates the magistrate-judge plea process in a felony case: after a defendant knowingly consents and completes Rule 11 advisements, the magistrate judge may make findings and recommend acceptance, while the district judge retains responsibility for accepting the recommendation and imposing sentence.