United States v. Mata

── United States v. Mata ── Court: Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit Date: April 21, 2026 Category: Direct Criminal Case: 25-50474 Document: 77-1 Page: 1 Date Filed: 04/21/2026 United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit ____________ United States Court of Appeals Fifth Circuit No. 25-50474 Summary Calendar FILED ____________ April 21, 2026 Lyle W. Cayce United States of America, Clerk Plaintiff—Appellee, versus Sonia Suzanne Mata, Defendant—Appellant. ______________________________ Appeal from the United States District Court for the Western District of Texas USDC No. 5:23-CR-577-1 ______________________________ Before Smith, Higginson, and Wilson, Circuit Judges. Per Curiam: * Sonia Mata pleaded guilty, per a plea agreement with an appeal waiver, of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(1) and escape in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 751(a). Mata contends that the district court clearly erred in applying a four-level enhance- ment for possessing a firearm in connection with another felony offense. The _____________________ * This opinion is not designated for publication. See 5th Cir. R. 47.5. Case: 25-50474 Document: 77-1 Page: 2 Date Filed: 04/21/2026 No. 25-50474 government seeks to enforce the appeal waiver. We review the enforceability of appeal waivers de novo. United States v. Kelly, 915 F.3d 344, 348 (5th Cir. 2019). “To determine whether an appeal of a sentence is barred by an appeal waiver provision in a plea agreement, we conduct a two-step inquiry: (1) whether the waiver was knowing and volun- tary and (2) whether the waiver applies to the circumstances at hand, based on the plain language of the agreement.” United States v. Bond, 414 F.3d 542, 544 (5th Cir. 2005). The record confirms that both conditions are met here. Accordingly, the appeal is DISMISSED. 2