State v. Mason, Unpublished Decision (12-3-2001)
State v. Mason, Unpublished Decision (12-3-2001)
Opinion of the Court
Defendant was indicted on March 8, 2000 for sexual battery in violation of R.C.
Appellant now appeals the trial court's determination that he is a sexual predator and raises the following single assignment of error:
THE TRIAL COURT ERRED TO THE PREJUDICE OF APPELLANT BY CLASSIFYING APPELLANT AS A SEXUAL PREDATOR, PURSUANT TO R.C.
2950.09 , WHEN THERE WAS NO CLEAR AND CONVINCING EVIDENCE TO ESTABLISH SUCH A CLASSIFICATION.
A sexual predator is statutorily defined as "a person who has been convicted of or pleaded guilty to committing a sexually oriented offense and is likely to engage in the future in one or more sexually oriented offenses." R.C.
R.C.
When making a determination as to whether a defendant is a sexual predator, the trial court shall consider all relevant factors, including, but not limited to, all of the following:
(a) The offender's age;
(b) The offender's prior criminal record regarding all offenses, including, but not limited to, all sexual offenses;
(c) The age of the victim of the sexually oriented offense for which sentence is to be imposed;
(d) Whether the sexually oriented offense for which sentence is to be imposed involved multiple victims;
(e) Whether the offender used drugs or alcohol to impair the victim of the sexually oriented offenses or to prevent the victim from resisting;
(f) If the offender previously has been convicted of or pleaded guilty to any criminal offense, whether the offender completed any sentence imposed for the prior offense, and, if the prior offense was a sex offense or a sexually oriented offense, whether the offender participated in available programs for sexual offenders;
(g) Any mental illness or mental disability of the offender;
(h) The nature of the offender's sexual conduct, sexual contact, or interaction in a sexual context with the victim of the sexually oriented offense and whether the sexual conduct, sexual contact, or interaction in a sexual context was part of a demonstrated pattern of abuse;
(i) Whether the offender, during the commission of the sexually oriented offense for which sentence is to be imposed, displayed cruelty or made one or more threats of cruelty;
(j) Any additional behavioral characteristics that contribute to the offender's conduct.
R.C.
Appellant argues that the evidence does not support a finding that he is likely to re-offend. He argues that this offense is his only conviction for a sexually-oriented offense, that there is no evidence relating to the other statutory factors, and that the trial court should not have considered his problems with alcohol and convictions for other offenses.
In making its determination that appellant is a sexual predator, the trial court considered the disparity of appellant's age to that of his victim. The court found that appellant was thirty-nine years old at the time of the offense and that his victim was thirteen. The court also considered the fact that appellant was in a position of trust over the victim and the incestuous nature of the contact with his own daughter. The court noted that appellant had a prior voyeurism charge which was dismissed after counseling. The court considered appellant's substantial criminal history, his problems with alcohol and the fact that appellant had failed to respond to treatment for alcohol problems. The court also noted that appellant had failed to show remorse or to take responsibility for his actions.
We find that the trial court did not err in determining that appellant is a sexual predator based on the facts above. The trial court is not required to find that the evidence presented supports a majority of the factors listed in R.C.
We find that there is clear and convincing evidence in the record to support the trial court's determination that appellant is a sexual predator. Appellant's assignment of error is overruled. Judgment affirmed.
WALSH and POWELL, JJ., concur.
Case-law data current through December 31, 2025. Source: CourtListener bulk data.