Reported / Citable
Background
Manuel Eduardo Morocho-Morocho appeared with counsel before U.S. Magistrate Judge Matthew H. Watters for entry of a felony guilty plea. 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 Rule 11 admonishments, Morocho-Morocho pleaded guilty without a plea agreement to Count One of the indictment, charging illegal reentry into the United States. Sentencing was reserved for the presiding district judge.
The Court’s Holding
Judge Watters found that Morocho-Morocho knowingly and voluntarily consented to having the magistrate judge take his plea; understood the charge, penalties, and rights he waived; and was competent to plead guilty. The magistrate judge also found a sufficient factual basis for the plea.
The court found Morocho-Morocho guilty of the offense to which he pleaded and recommended that the district court accept the plea and enter a judgment of guilt. The recommendation remains subject to objections; absent timely written objections, the parties may forfeit de novo district-court review and face plain-error review on appeal.
Key Takeaways
- The defendant pleaded guilty without a plea agreement to illegal reentry.
- The magistrate judge found the Rule 11 plea knowing, voluntary, competent, and supported by a factual basis.
- The magistrate judge recommended acceptance of the plea, while leaving sentencing to the district judge.
Why It Matters
This is a plea-stage findings and recommendation, not a final district-court acceptance or sentencing decision. It documents the magistrate judge’s Rule 11 determinations and triggers the parties’ 14-day period to object before the district judge acts on the recommendation.