State v. Ivory, 21786 (9-28-2007)
State v. Ivory, 21786 (9-28-2007)
Opinion of the Court
{¶ 2} Ivory was indicted and convicted on one count of gross sexual imposition, in violation of R.C.
{¶ 3} On September 8, 2006, Ivory appeared before the trial court for a sexual predator hearing at which the State presented the testimony of David Taylor, the supervisor of the sex offender program in Montgomery County's Adult Probation Department. The court also had before it a pre-sentence investigation report ("PSI") and a House Bill 180 Screening Instrument. After hearing the evidence, the court determined Ivory to be a sexual predator. It further sentenced him to Community Control Sanctions for a period not to exceed five years. It is from this decision that Ivory has filed the instant appeal.
{¶ 4} In his sole assignment of error, Ivory contends that the trial court erred in labeling him as a sexual predator when the record does not support by clear and convincing evidence that he is likely to re-offend.
{¶ 5} R.C.
{¶ 6} Upon reviewing the testimony and evidence presented at a sexual predator hearing and considering the factors specified in R.C.
{¶ 7} In this case, the sole witness at the sexual predator classification hearing was Montgomery County's supervisor of the sex offender program, David Taylor. Taylor reviewed the pre-sentence investigation report prepared by investigative officer, Sharon Dalton, in addition to the House Bill 180 Screening Instrument, the police report *Page 4 regarding Ivory's gross sexual imposition charge, and a police report concerning a 2000 charge of importuning. Taylor also testified that he reviewed treatment reports from South Community, where Ivory was receiving treatment for oppositional defiant disorder and bipolar disorder from July 2003 to November 2005. Based on the information contained in these documents, Taylor concluded that Ivory should be designated a sexual predator.
{¶ 8} After hearing Taylor's testimony, the trial court discussed its findings on the record in accordance with the model procedure established in State v. Eppinger (2001),
{¶ 9} Here, the trial court first acknowledged the fact that Ivory had been previously adjudicated of a sex offense involving a four-year-old girl. The pre-sentence investigation report in the present matter indicates that Ivory was charged in 2000 with one count of gross sexual imposition for attempting to penetrate a four-year-old girl. This charge, however, was subsequently reduced to importuning. Next, the court considered the relevancy of Ivory's age and the age of his victims. At the time of the present offense, Ivory was 19, while his victim was 8. In 2000, Ivory was 12, while his *Page 5 victim was 4. The court also noted that Ivory has a history of mental illness and that he voluntarily terminated treatment in November of 2005 after turning 18. Based on these facts, the trial court found by clear and convincing evidence that Ivory was a sexual predator.
{¶ 10} It is Ivory's contention that the trial court's decision is not supported by the evidence. In particular, Ivory argues that David Taylor does not qualify as an expert, where his position is that of probation officer as opposed to forensic specialist; therefore, his testimony amounts to mere hearsay lacking any relevant foundation. Ivory further contends that only half of the factors listed in R.C.
{¶ 11} First, the Supreme Court of Ohio has found that, pursuant to Evid.R. 101(C), the rules of evidence do not strictly apply in a sexual predator hearing. Cook,
{¶ 12} Next, we find that the evidence in the record supports the trial court's decision. In addition to the factors identified by the court as its basis for designating Ivory as a sexual predator, i.e, his age and the age of his victims; his prior criminal offenses, including a sexually oriented offense; and his history of mental illness, we find it equally significant that Ivory completed two years of out-patient sex offender treatment *Page 6 in connection with his 2000 importuning conviction, along with two years of treatment for behavioral problems and issues of past abuse, yet he still committed the instant offense. Thus, it is the opinion of this Court that Ivory is not a successfully treated sex offender, and the likelihood of his re-offending is high.
{¶ 13} In conclusion, we have reviewed the transcript and all other materials in the record, including the pre-sentence investigation report. Based upon our review, we are satisfied that the trial court acted within its discretion in determining that the State provided clear and convincing evidence that Ivory is a sexual predator. Accordingly, Ivory's single assignment of error is overruled. The judgment of the trial court is affirmed.
*Page 1WOLFF, P.J., and FAIN, J., concur.
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