United States v. Medina-Almaguer, 559 F.3d 420 (6th Cir. Mar. 12, 2009) ("Even granting for the sake of argument that a sentencing court may consult a preliminary-examination transcript in investigating the nature of a prior offense, this transcript does not show that Medina-Almaguer "necessarily admitted" to a "drug trafficking offense" when he pleaded guilty to violating 11352(a). Much like a police report or a complaint application-upon which sentencing courts may not rely in determining the nature of a prior conviction, see Shepard, 544 U.S. at 16-a preliminary examination deals with a gateway step in the criminal process: determining whether probable cause exists for detaining a suspect before a potential indictment or information. . . . [T]hat testimony showed only that the examining magistrate properly concluded that there was "sufficient cause" to believe that Medina-Almaguer violated 11352(a). Medina-Almaguer did not admit that conduct during the examination, nor so far as the record shows did he admit that conduct when he pleaded guilty.").

jurisdiction: 
Sixth Circuit

 

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