State v. Alfaro, Unpublished Decision (11-7-2005)
State v. Alfaro, Unpublished Decision (11-7-2005)
Opinion of the Court
{¶ 2} Appellant was indicted for and pled guilty to the following offenses stemming from three incidents involving drug transactions in Butler County, Ohio: two counts of trafficking cocaine, third-degree felonies; three counts of permitting drug abuse, fifth-degree felonies; and one count of possession of cocaine in an amount greater than 100 grams but less than 500 grams, a second-degree felony.
{¶ 3} Appellant is a Mexican citizen whose English skills required the use of a translator during court proceedings. On July 14, 2004, appellant agreed to plead guilty to all six counts of the indictment. In exchange for his guilty plea, the state agreed to recommend a sentence of no more than seven years in prison.
{¶ 4} Prior to accepting the appellant's guilty plea, the court advised appellant of the consequences of a guilty plea and resulting conviction to his immigration status as required by R.C.
{¶ 5} Appellant was sentenced to a total of seven years in prison. A mandatory period of three years post-release control was ordered.1
{¶ 6} Appellant raises two assignments of error:
{¶ 7} Assignment of Error No. 1:
{¶ 8} "THE TRIAL COURT ERRED TO THE PREJUDICE OF APPELLANT BY FAILING TO GIVE THE PROPER ADVISEMENT AS TO IMMIGRATION STATUS REQUIRED BY OHIO REVISED CODE SECTION 2943.031."
{¶ 9} Appellant argues the trial court did not comply with the requirements of R.C.
{¶ 10} R.C.
{¶ 11} "If you are not a citizen of the United States you are hereby advised that conviction of the offense to which you are pleading guilty (or no contest, when applicable) may have the consequences of deportation, exclusion from admission to the United States, or denial of naturalization pursuant to the laws of the United States."
{¶ 12} The trial court, upon the request of the defendant, "shall allow him additional time to consider the appropriateness of the plea in light of the advisement." R.C.
{¶ 13} The record shows that the trial court properly advised appellant in accordance with R.C.
{¶ 14} Assignment of Error No. 2:
{¶ 15} "THE TRIAL COURT ERRED TO THE PREJUDICE OF APPELLANT IN IMPOSING MANDATORY POST-RELEASE CONTROL TO AN AGREED SENTENCE OF NO MORE THAN SEVEN YEARS, SUBJECTING APPELLANT TO A POTENTIAL PRISON TERM THAT IS LONGER THAN THE ONE STIPULATED TO BY THE COURT, THE STATE, AND THE DEFENDANT."
{¶ 16} In appellant's second assignment of error, he claims that the trial court, by placing him under mandatory post-release control, has subjected him to ten and one-half years in prison. Appellant contends that this violates his plea agreement.
{¶ 17} R.C.
{¶ 18} Appellant is subject to up to three and one-half years in prison as part of a post-release control sanction. However, this time is distinct and separate from the seven-year prison term he received under his guilty plea. Woods v. Telb,
{¶ 19} At appellant's plea hearing, the trial court informed appellant of the following:
{¶ 20} "You will be subjected to a mandatory three-year period of post-release control. If you violate the post-release control sanctions, the parole authority may return you to prison and require that you serve additional time in prison, up to one-half of your original sentence."
{¶ 21} Later, in confirming appellant's intent to plead guilty, the following exchange occurred:
{¶ 22} "THE COURT: Has anything else been promised to you other than you'll not go to prison for more than seven years?
{¶ 23} "THE DEFENDANT: No, sir.
{¶ 24} "* * *
{¶ 25} "THE COURT: And you'll be subject to mandatory parole or post-release control; do you understand that?
{¶ 26} "THE DEFENDANT: Yes, sir."
{¶ 27} We find the trial court did not err when it sentenced appellant to a seven-year prison term and the mandatory three-year period of post-release control. Appellant was made aware of the terms of required post-release control prior to entering his plea. Any additional prison time beyond seven years is dependent upon a post-release control violation by appellant. Accordingly, appellant's second assignment of error is overruled.
{¶ 28} Judgment affirmed.
Young and Bressler, JJ., concur.
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