Case Explained: USA V. REYES-HERNANDEZ

Court: United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit Filed: 2026-08-03 Docket: 4:24-cr-00143-BLW-1 The ninth-circuit affirmed the 37-month sentence imposed on Geovanny Reyes-Hernandez following his guilty-plea conviction for being a deported alien found in the United States in violation of 8 U.S.C. § 1326. The court reviewed the sentence for reasonableness rather than procedural correctness, applying the standard that a sentence is substantively reasonable if it aligns with the 18 U.S.C. § 3553(a) factors and the totality of the circumstances. The court held that the district court did not abuse its discretion in relying on dismissed sexual assault charges to deny a downward departure, as the reference to those charges did not violate due process because the sentencing decision was based on Reyes-Hernandez’s immigration history and substantial criminal record rather than the unaccepted facts of the dismissed charges. The judgment of the district court is affirmed. Do It For The Case Law is a news reporting service. Nothing in this episode constitutes legal advice.