Reported / Citable
Background
Jairo Nain Molina-Villalobos 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 admonitions, Molina-Villalobos 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 Molina-Villalobos knowingly and voluntarily consented to the magistrate judge’s taking of his plea; understood the charge, penalties, and rights he waived; and was competent to plead guilty. The court also found a sufficient factual basis for the plea.
Judge Watters found Molina-Villalobos guilty of the charge to which he pleaded and recommended that the district court accept the guilty plea and enter a judgment of guilt. The matter was referred to the presiding district judge for sentencing.
Key Takeaways
- The defendant pleaded guilty to illegal reentry without a plea agreement.
- The magistrate judge recommended acceptance of the plea after finding Rule 11 compliance, competence, voluntariness, and a factual basis.
- Any objections to the findings and recommendation must be filed within 14 days; failure to object limits later review.
Why It Matters
The filing is a recommendation, not the district court’s final acceptance of the plea or sentencing decision. It documents the plea-stage findings supporting acceptance of the defendant’s guilty plea and leaves sentencing to the presiding district judge.