
    UNITED STATES of America, Plaintiff-Appellee, v. Michael Edward JONES, Defendant-Appellant.
    No. 03-6179.
    United States Court of Appeals, Fourth Circuit.
    Submitted April 17, 2003.
    Decided April 23, 2003.
    Michael Edward Jones, Appellant Pro Se. Gretchen C.F. Shappert, Assistant United States Attorney, Charlotte, North Carolina, for Appellee.
    Before WIDENER, WILLIAMS, and MOTZ, Circuit Judges.
    Dismissed by unpublished PER CURIAM opinion.
   PER CURIAM.

Michael Edward Jones seeks to appeal the district court’s orders dismissing his motion to correct, construed as having been filed under 28 U.S.C. § 2255 (2000), and the motion for reconsideration. We dismiss the appeal for lack of jurisdiction because the notice of appeal was not timely filed.

When the United States or its officer or agency is a party, the notice of appeal must be filed no more than sixty days after the entry of the district court’s final judgment or order, Fed. R.App. P. 4(a)(1)(B), unless the district court extends the appeal period under Fed. R.App. P. 4(a)(5) or reopens the appeal period under Fed. R.App. P. 4(a)(6). This appeal period is “mandatory and jurisdictional.” Browder v. Director, Dep’t of Corrections, 434 U.S. 257, 264, 98 S.Ct. 556, 54 L.Ed.2d 521 (1978) (quoting United States v. Robinson, 361 U.S. 220, 229, 80 S.Ct. 282, 4 L.Ed.2d 259 (1960)).

The district court’s order denying the § 2255 motion was entered on the docket on July 24, 2002. The court’s order denying the motion for reconsideration was entered October 9, 2002. The notice of appeal was filed on December 18, 2002. Because Jones failed to file a timely notice of appeal or to obtain an extension or reopening of the appeal period, we deny a certificate of appealability and dismiss the appeal. We dispense with oral argument because the facts and legal contentions are adequately presented in the materials before the court and argument would not aid the decisional process.

DISMISSED.  