Reported / Citable
Background
Manuel Antonio Vasquez-Funes appeared with counsel before U.S. Magistrate Judge Matthew H. Watters for a felony guilty-plea proceeding. The matter had been referred under a general order for the magistrate judge to take the plea.
After receiving Rule 11 admonishments, Vasquez-Funes pleaded guilty without a plea agreement to Count One of the indictment, charging illegal reentry into the United States. Sentencing remains assigned to the presiding district judge.
The Court’s Holding
The magistrate judge found that Vasquez-Funes knowingly and voluntarily consented to the magistrate judge taking his plea, understood the charge, penalties, and rights he was waiving, and was competent to plead guilty.
The court also found a sufficient factual basis for the plea and found Vasquez-Funes guilty of the charged offense. Judge Watters recommended that the district court accept the guilty plea and enter a judgment of guilt.
Key Takeaways
- The recommendation concerns acceptance of a guilty plea, not sentencing.
- Vasquez-Funes pleaded guilty to illegal reentry without a plea agreement.
- Parties have 14 days to object; failure to object limits later review under the terms stated in the recommendation.
Why It Matters
The recommendation clears the case for the district judge to decide whether to accept the plea and proceed to sentencing. It records the Rule 11 findings supporting the plea’s validity and preserves the parties’ opportunity to object before district-court review.