Reported / Citable
Background
Jose Guadalupe Infante-Avila was charged in Count 1 of an indictment in the Western District of Texas. He waived his appearance before the district court and instead appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Susan Hightower for a felony plea proceeding and an allocution under Federal Rule of Criminal Procedure 11.
On July 23, 2026, the magistrate judge filed a report and recommendation advising the district court to accept Infante-Avila’s guilty plea. Infante-Avila did not oppose the recommendation.
The Court’s Holding
District Judge Robert Pitman accepted Infante-Avila’s guilty plea to Count 1 of the indictment.
The court acted after reviewing the case file and the magistrate judge’s report and recommendation, and after noting the absence of any opposition from Infante-Avila. The one-page order did not address sentencing or describe the offense charged in Count 1.
Key Takeaways
- The district court accepted Infante-Avila’s guilty plea to Count 1.
- A magistrate judge conducted the felony plea and Rule 11 allocution after Infante-Avila waived appearance before the district judge.
- Infante-Avila did not oppose the magistrate judge’s recommendation that the plea be accepted.
Why It Matters
The order formally accepts Infante-Avila’s guilty plea following the magistrate-judge plea process. Its scope is narrow: it resolves acceptance of the plea but does not adjudicate sentencing or provide details about the underlying charge.