Reported / Citable
Background
Olvin Edgardo Guillen-Fuentes appeared with counsel before U.S. Magistrate Judge Matthew H. Watters for a felony guilty-plea proceeding. The case had been referred under a general order for the magistrate judge to take the plea.
After being advised of his right to have a district judge take the plea and receiving the required Federal Rule of Criminal Procedure 11 admonishments, Guillen-Fuentes pleaded guilty without a plea agreement to Count One of the indictment, illegal reentry into the United States.
The Court’s Holding
The magistrate judge found that Guillen-Fuentes consented to the magistrate judge’s taking of his plea; understood the charge, penalties, and rights at issue; voluntarily waived those rights; and was competent to plead guilty.
The magistrate judge further found a sufficient factual basis for the plea and found Guillen-Fuentes guilty of the charged offense. The magistrate judge recommended that the district judge accept the guilty plea and enter a judgment of guilt; sentencing was referred to the presiding district judge.
Key Takeaways
- The defendant pleaded guilty to illegal reentry without a plea agreement.
- The magistrate judge found the plea knowing, voluntary, competent, and supported by an adequate factual basis.
- The filing is a findings-and-recommendation document: the district judge must act on the recommendation, subject to any timely objections.
Why It Matters
The order reflects the Rule 11 safeguards supporting a felony guilty plea and preserves the district judge’s role in accepting the recommendation and imposing sentence. Parties have 14 days to object; absent objections, the stated limits on review apply.