Reported / Citable
Background
The case was referred by general order to U.S. Magistrate Judge Matthew H. Watters to take defendant Olbin Alexander Lopez-Recinos’s felony guilty plea. On August 7, 2026, Lopez-Recinos and his counsel appeared before the magistrate judge.
The magistrate judge advised Lopez-Recinos that he could have his plea taken by a district judge and gave the Rule 11 admonitions. Lopez-Recinos, with counsel’s advice, consented to having the magistrate judge take the plea and pleaded guilty without a plea agreement to Count One, illegal reentry into the United States.
The Court’s Holding
Judge Watters found that Lopez-Recinos understood the charge, potential penalties, and his constitutional and statutory rights; knowingly and voluntarily waived those rights; was competent to plead guilty; and entered his plea freely and voluntarily.
The magistrate judge also found a sufficient factual basis for the plea and found Lopez-Recinos guilty of the charged offense. The judge recommended that the district court accept the guilty plea and enter a judgment of guilt; sentencing remains for the presiding district judge.
Key Takeaways
- The magistrate judge recommended acceptance of Lopez-Recinos’s guilty plea to illegal reentry.
- The plea was entered without a plea agreement after Rule 11 advisements.
- Parties have 14 days to file written objections to the recommendation.
Why It Matters
The filing is a report and recommendation, not the district court’s final acceptance of the plea or sentencing decision. Absent timely objections, the district court may accept the recommendation, while unobjected-to findings generally receive only plain-error review on appeal.