United States v. Jose Luis Gonzalez-Flores

BETTY B. FLETCHER, Circuit Judge.

Defendant-appellant Jose Luis Gonzalez-Flores (“Gonzalez”) was convicted of alien smuggling for leading a group of nearly two dozen Mexicans into the United States across the desert. In this direct appeal, Gonzalez claims that the evidence was insufficient to support his conviction and that certain testimony admitted at trial was irrelevant and unduly prejudicial. Gonzalez also attacks his sentence on Booker grounds; the government argues in response that he waived his Sixth Amendment rights.

We hold that the evidence was sufficient to support the conviction…