Reported / Citable
Background
Alfonso Salazar-Solis, also known as Juan Lopez-Sanchez, appeared with counsel for a plea hearing in the El Paso Division of the Western District of Texas. He pleaded guilty to Count One of the indictment, charging illegal reentry under 8 U.S.C. § 1326(a) and (b)(1).
The grand jury had no-billed Counts Two and Three. Salazar-Solis consented to enter his plea before a magistrate judge, subject to final approval and sentencing by the presiding district judge.
The Court’s Holding
Magistrate Judge Robert F. Castaneda found that Salazar-Solis was competent and that his guilty plea was knowing, voluntary, and supported by a factual basis. The judge found that he understood the charge, the rights he was relinquishing, the possible penalties, the immigration consequences, and the advisory role of the Sentencing Guidelines.
The magistrate judge therefore recommended that the district judge accept the guilty plea and enter a judgment of guilt. The report did not itself finally accept the plea or impose sentence.
Key Takeaways
- The magistrate judge recommended acceptance of Salazar-Solis’s guilty plea to illegal reentry under 8 U.S.C. § 1326(a) and (b)(1).
- The recommendation rests on Rule 11 findings that the plea was competent, knowing, voluntary, and supported by a factual basis.
- Final plea approval and sentencing remain with the presiding district judge, and objections must be filed before sentencing to preserve the matters identified in the report.
Why It Matters
The decision is a plea-stage recommendation, not a final conviction or sentencing ruling. It records that the magistrate judge completed the Rule 11 colloquy and found the plea valid while preserving the district judge’s role in final acceptance and sentencing.