Reported / Citable
Background
The case was referred by general order to Magistrate Judge Matthew H. Watters to take a felony guilty plea. On September 1, 2026, Josue Noe Rodriguez-Monjaras and counsel appeared before the magistrate judge.
After advising Rodriguez-Monjaras of his right to have a district judge take the plea and conducting Rule 11 admonishments, the magistrate judge found that Rodriguez-Monjaras understood the charge, penalties, and rights at issue. Rodriguez-Monjaras pleaded guilty without a plea agreement to Count One, illegal reentry into the United States.
The Court’s Holding
The magistrate judge found that Rodriguez-Monjaras’s plea was knowing, voluntary, and supported by a sufficient factual basis, and that he was competent to plead guilty. The magistrate judge also found him guilty of the charged offense and noted that he acknowledged possible restitution.
Because the magistrate judge was issuing findings and a recommendation, rather than entering the final judgment, the court recommended that the district judge accept the guilty plea and enter a judgment of guilt. Sentencing was referred to the presiding district judge, Chief Judge Alia Moses.
Key Takeaways
- Rodriguez-Monjaras pleaded guilty without a plea agreement to illegal reentry.
- The magistrate judge found the Rule 11 plea knowing, voluntary, competent, and factually supported.
- The recommendation remains subject to objections and final action by the district judge.
Why It Matters
The order illustrates the magistrate-judge plea process in a felony prosecution: the magistrate judge may conduct the plea hearing with the defendant’s consent and recommend acceptance, while the district judge retains responsibility for final disposition and sentencing.