Reported / Citable
Background
Adolfo Segundo-Romualdo appeared with counsel before U.S. Magistrate Judge Matthew H. Watters for a felony guilty-plea proceeding referred under a general order. The magistrate judge advised Segundo-Romualdo of his right to have a district judge take the plea and gave the Rule 11 admonishments.
Segundo-Romualdo, with counsel’s advice, consented to the magistrate judge’s taking of the plea. He pleaded guilty without a plea agreement to Count One of the indictment, charging illegal reentry into the United States.
The Court’s Holding
The magistrate judge found that Segundo-Romualdo understood the charge, potential penalties, and his constitutional and statutory rights; voluntarily waived those rights; was competent; and entered his plea freely and voluntarily. The magistrate judge also found a sufficient factual basis for the plea.
Judge Watters found Segundo-Romualdo 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
- The defendant pleaded guilty to illegal reentry without a plea agreement.
- The magistrate judge concluded that the Rule 11 requirements were satisfied and that the plea had an adequate factual basis.
- The filing is a findings-and-recommendation document; the district judge remains responsible for accepting the plea and imposing sentence.
Why It Matters
The recommendation clears the case for district-court acceptance of the plea and sentencing. The parties have 14 days to object; absent timely objections, they may forfeit de novo review and face limits on appellate challenges to unobjected-to findings and conclusions.