State v. Hiles, Unpublished Decision (7-30-2004)
State v. Hiles, Unpublished Decision (7-30-2004)
Opinion of the Court
{¶ 2} On July 12, 2002, the Delaware County Grand Jury indicted appellant on four counts of trafficking in marijuana. Three of the four counts are felonies of the fourth degree because the offense occurred within the vicinity of a school. The remaining count is a fifth degree felony. These charges are contained in Case No. 02CR-I-07-314.
{¶ 3} While awaiting trial on the trafficking in marijuana charges, appellant left the State of Ohio, in violation of the terms of his bond, and traveled to Tennessee. This resulted in Case No. 02CR-I-11-606. Under this case number, appellant was charged with failure to appear, a felony of the fourth degree, and theft, a misdemeanor of the first degree. The theft being that of the ankle bracelet used to monitor appellant's whereabouts while on bond.
{¶ 4} Thereafter, appellant entered a guilty plea, on all of the counts, in both cases. On March 27, 2003, the trial court sentenced appellant in both cases. In Case No. 02CR-I-07-314, the trial court sentenced appellant to eight months on each of the four counts of trafficking in marijuana. The trial court ordered these sentences to be served consecutively. In Case No. 02-CR-I-11-606, the trial court sentenced appellant to twelve months on the failure to appear charge and six months on the theft charge. The trial court ordered these sentences to run concurrent to each other, but consecutive to the previous sentences ordered in Case No. 02CR-I-07-314.
{¶ 5} The trial court also considered appellant's violation of the post-release control, in Case No. 97CR-I-11-468, and ordered appellant to serve the balance of that sentence, 726 days. Finally, the trial court ordered the suspension of appellant's driver's license for four years, following his release from incarceration, to commence on April 27, 2008.
{¶ 6} Appellant timely filed a notice of appeal and this court reversed and remanded his case for re-sentencing in light of the Ohio Supreme Court's decision in State v. Comer (2003),
{¶ 7} On December 29, 2003 the trial court conducted a re-sentencing hearing.
The trial court imposed the same sentence as it originally had given to the appellant. Appellant timely filed a notice of appeal and set forth the following two assignments of error:
{¶ 8} "I. The sentence of the court in sentencing the defendant to four consecutive terms of eight months each on trafficking in marijuana for a total of thirty-two months is disproportionate to the seriousness of the defendant's conduct in light of the small amount of marijuana involved.
{¶ 9} "II. The sentence of the court in sentencing the defendant to appear is disproportionate to the seriousness of the defendant's conduct."
{¶ 11} After the enactment of Senate Bill 2 in 1996, an appellate court's review of an appeal from a felony sentence was modified. Pursuant to present R.C.
{¶ 12} The appellate court may take any action authorized by this division if it clearly and convincingly finds either of the following:
{¶ 13} "(a) That the record does not support the sentencing court's findings under division (B) or (D) of section
{¶ 14} "(b) That the sentence is otherwise contrary to law."
{¶ 15} Clear and convincing evidence is that evidence "which will provide in the mind of the trier of facts a firm belief or conviction as to the facts sought to be established." Cross v.Ledford (1954),
{¶ 16} When reviewing a sentence imposed by the trial court, the applicable record to be examined by the appellate court includes the following: (1) the pre-sentence investigation report; (2) the trial court record in the case in which the sentence was imposed; and (3) any oral or written statements made to or by the court at the sentencing hearing at which the sentence was imposed. R.C.
{¶ 17} R.C.
{¶ 18} At the sentencing hearing, the court conducted an extensive review of appellant's criminal history, enumerating appellant's various convictions, and discussing them with appellant. (T. 7-8). The court found that appellant had previously served three (3) different prison sentences in the past. (Id.). The court further found that the Appellant was under post-release control at the time of the instant offenses. (Id. at 8). The court found the shortest prison term possible would demean the seriousness of the offenses and would not adequately protect the public, and also found the crimes were separate and distinct, committed on separate dates with a separate and distinct animus. In the present case, the trial court noted that consecutive sentences were necessary to protect the public from future crime and to punish appellant. (T. at 8-9; 11-12). The trial court also observed that consecutive sentences were not disproportionate to the seriousness of appellant's conduct and to the danger he posed to the public. (Id.). Such findings satisfied the initial requirements of R.C.
{¶ 19} We therefore conclude that the trial court made the necessary statutory findings for the imposition of consecutive sentences.
{¶ 20} Alternatively, we also note that we do not know the specific contents of the pre-sentence investigation report as appellant did not make them a part of the record. In State v.Untied (Mar. 5, 1998), Muskingum App. No. CT97-0018, we addressed the issue of failure to include the pre-sentence investigation report and stated:
{¶ 21} "Appellate review contemplates that the entire record be presented.
{¶ 22} App.R. 9. When portions of the transcript necessary to resolve issues are not part of the record, we must presume regularity in the trial court proceedings and affirm. Knapp v.Edwards Laboratories (1980),
{¶ 23} "Without the cited information and given the trial court (sic) findings on the record, we cannot say appellant's sentence was against the manifest weight of the evidence or `contrary to law." Id. at 7.
{¶ 24} We reach the same conclusion, in the case sub judice, because appellant failed to include in the record the pre-sentence investigation report. State v. Wallace (March 29, 2004), 5th Dist. No. 03-CA-A-07-043; State v. Mills (Sept. 25, 2003), 5th Dist. No. 03-COA-001.
{¶ 25} Accordingly, we find that the record supports the trial court's imposition of consecutive sentences, and that the trial court made the requisite findings before imposing consecutive sentences.
{¶ 26} Appellant's first and second assignments of error are overruled.
{¶ 27} For the foregoing reasons, the judgment of the Delaware County Court of Common Pleas, Ohio, is affirmed.
Gwin, P.J., Hoffman, J., and Farmer, J., concur.
{¶ 28} For the reasons stated in our accompanying Memorandum-Opinion, the judgment of the Delaware County Court of Common Pleas, Ohio, is affirmed. Costs to appellant.
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