United States v. Arami

PRADO, Circuit Judge:

In this appeal, we decide whether a defendant may withdraw his guilty plea before the district court formally accepts that plea. We hold that the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure afford a defendant that right.

I. FACTUAL AND PROCEDURAL BACKGROUND

This case stems from the investigation of a prostitution enterprise involving illegal aliens in Austin, Texas. Police executed a search warrant at a brothel and found two male illegal aliens acting as “house managers” and two female illegal aliens working as prostitutes. Based on that discovery, police executed additional search…