Reported / Citable
Background
Benjamin Perez-Reyes appeared with counsel before a U.S. magistrate judge on July 6, 2026, to enter a felony guilty plea. The matter had been referred under a general order for the magistrate judge to take the plea.
After being advised that he could have the district judge take his plea, Perez-Reyes consented to proceeding before the magistrate judge. He pleaded guilty under a plea agreement to Count One of the indictment, charging conspiracy to transport illegal aliens while placing lives in jeopardy.
The Court’s Holding
The magistrate judge found that Perez-Reyes understood the charge, potential penalties, and the constitutional and statutory rights he was waiving. The judge also found that Perez-Reyes was competent, that his plea was knowing and voluntary, and that a sufficient factual basis supported it.
The magistrate judge recommended that the district judge accept the guilty plea and enter a judgment of guilt. The recommendation also noted that Perez-Reyes may be subject to restitution and referred the case to the presiding district judge for sentencing. The parties were given 14 days after receiving the recommendation to file written objections.
Key Takeaways
- Perez-Reyes pleaded guilty under a plea agreement to conspiracy to transport illegal aliens while placing lives in jeopardy.
- The magistrate judge found the plea knowing, voluntary, factually supported, and entered by a competent defendant.
- The filing is a recommendation to accept the plea; sentencing remains for the presiding district judge.
Why It Matters
The recommendation documents the Rule 11 findings required before the district court may accept Perez-Reyes’s felony guilty plea. It also preserves the distinction between the magistrate judge’s role in taking the plea and the district judge’s authority to accept the recommendation, enter judgment, and impose sentence.