Reported / Citable
Background
Raul Uresti-Amaro was charged in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas. The defendant appeared before United States Magistrate Judge Dustin Howell for the taking of a felony plea and allocution under Federal Rule of Criminal Procedure 11. Uresti-Amaro waived his appearance before the District Court and instead proceeded with the magistrate judge for these proceedings.
Following the allocution before the Magistrate Judge, that judge filed a Report and Recommendation recommending acceptance of the guilty plea. The defendant filed no opposition to this recommendation.
The Court’s Holding
Senior U.S. District Judge David Alan Ezra accepted the defendant’s guilty plea to Count One. The court adopted the Magistrate Judge’s recommendation and finding that the plea should be accepted. The order was entered on June 30, 2026.
Key Takeaways
- The guilty plea was properly accepted following Rule 11 allocution procedures before the Magistrate Judge.
- The defendant waived his right to appear before the District Court for the plea proceedings.
- The acceptance of the plea to Count One proceeded without opposition from the defendant.
Why It Matters
This order reflects the standard process by which criminal defendants enter guilty pleas in federal court. The Rule 11 allocution ensures that plea agreements are entered knowingly and voluntarily, with defendants understanding the consequences of their plea.