Reported / Citable
Background
Moises Randu Teoba-Ruvalcaba appeared with counsel before U.S. Magistrate Judge Joseph A. Cordova for a felony guilty-plea proceeding referred under a general order. The magistrate judge advised Teoba-Ruvalcaba of his right to have the plea taken by a district judge and gave the Federal Rule of Criminal Procedure 11 admonishments.
Teoba-Ruvalcaba, with counsel’s advice, consented to the magistrate judge’s taking of the plea. He pleaded guilty without a plea agreement to Count One, charging illegal reentry into the United States in violation of 8 U.S.C. § 1326. Sentencing remained for the presiding district judge.
The Court’s Holding
The magistrate judge found that Teoba-Ruvalcaba understood the charge, potential penalties, and his constitutional and statutory rights; knowingly and voluntarily waived those rights; was competent to plead; and entered his plea freely and voluntarily.
The magistrate judge also found a sufficient factual basis for the plea and found Teoba-Ruvalcaba guilty of the charged offense. The court recommended that the district judge accept the plea and enter a judgment of guilt. The recommendation was subject to objections within 14 days.
Key Takeaways
- Teoba-Ruvalcaba pleaded guilty without a plea agreement to illegal reentry under 8 U.S.C. § 1326.
- The magistrate judge concluded that the Rule 11 plea requirements were satisfied.
- The disposition was a recommendation to the district judge, with sentencing still to follow.
Why It Matters
The filing illustrates the magistrate-judge plea process in a federal felony case: the defendant may consent to the magistrate judge’s taking of the plea, but the district judge remains responsible for accepting the recommendation and imposing sentence.