Reported / Citable
Background
Leonel Rodriguez-Trejo 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 taking of the plea.
After being advised of his right to have a district judge take the plea and receiving Rule 11 admonitions, Rodriguez-Trejo consented to proceeding before the magistrate judge. He pleaded guilty, without a plea agreement, to Count One of the indictment: illegal reentry into the United States.
The Court’s Holding
Judge Watters found that Rodriguez-Trejo understood the charge, potential penalties, and his constitutional and statutory rights; knowingly and voluntarily waived those rights; and was competent to plead guilty. The magistrate judge also found that the plea was voluntary and supported by a sufficient factual basis.
The magistrate judge found Rodriguez-Trejo guilty of the charge to which he pleaded and recommended that Chief U.S. District Judge Alia Moses accept the guilty plea and enter a judgment of guilt. The matter was referred to the presiding district judge for sentencing.
Key Takeaways
- Rodriguez-Trejo pleaded guilty without a plea agreement to illegal reentry.
- The magistrate judge recommended acceptance of the plea after completing the Rule 11 colloquy and making competency, voluntariness, and factual-basis findings.
- The recommendation remains subject to objections; sentencing will be conducted by the presiding district judge.
Why It Matters
The filing is a report and recommendation, not the district court’s final acceptance of the plea or a sentencing decision. It records the magistrate judge’s conclusion that the plea complied with Rule 11 and should be accepted unless the district court determines otherwise after any timely objections.