Reported / Citable
Background
Raul Medina-Gonzalez was charged by information in the Western District of Texas. He waived his appearance before the district court and 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 28, 2026, the magistrate judge issued a report and recommendation advising the district court to accept Medina-Gonzalez’s guilty plea. Medina-Gonzalez did not oppose that recommendation.
The Court’s Holding
Senior U.S. District Judge David Alan Ezra reviewed the case file and the magistrate judge’s report and recommendation.
The court accepted Medina-Gonzalez’s guilty plea to Count One of the information. The one-page order did not address sentencing or describe the offense charged in Count One.
Key Takeaways
- The district court accepted Medina-Gonzalez’s guilty plea to Count One of the information.
- The plea proceeding and Rule 11 allocution occurred before Magistrate Judge Susan Hightower after Medina-Gonzalez waived appearance before the district court.
- Medina-Gonzalez did not oppose the magistrate judge’s recommendation that the plea be accepted.
Why It Matters
The order confirms the district court’s acceptance of the felony guilty plea following proceedings before a magistrate judge. It resolves acceptance of the plea but does not impose a sentence or identify the underlying offense.