                                                       United States Court of Appeals
                                                                Fifth Circuit
                                                               F I L E D
               IN THE UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS            April 24, 2003
                       FOR THE FIFTH CIRCUIT
                                                            Charles R. Fulbruge III
                                                                    Clerk

                            No. 02-20669
                        Conference Calendar


UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,

                                      Plaintiff-Appellee,
versus

JESUS VELA,

                                      Defendant-Appellant.

                        --------------------
            Appeal from the United States District Court
                 for the Southern District of Texas
                       USDC No. H-01-CR-907-1
                        --------------------

Before DAVIS, BARKSDALE, and STEWART, Circuit Judges.

PER CURIAM:*

     Court-appointed counsel for appellant Jesus Vela has moved

for leave to withdraw and has filed a brief as required by Anders

v. California, 386 U.S. 738 (1967).    Vela has not filed a

response.

     Our independent review of the brief and the record discloses

no nonfrivolous issue in this direct appeal.    Accordingly, the

motion for leave to withdraw is GRANTED, counsel is excused from




     *
        Pursuant to 5TH CIR. R. 47.5, the court has determined
that this opinion should not be published and is not precedent
except under the limited circumstances set forth in 5TH CIR.
R. 47.5.4.
                          No. 02-20669
                               -2-

further responsibilities herein, and the APPEAL IS DISMISSED.

See 5TH CIR. R. 42.2.
