State v. Crum, S-08-002 (10-24-2008)
State v. Crum, S-08-002 (10-24-2008)
Opinion of the Court
{¶ 2} On March 2, 2007, appellant was indicted on ten counts of unlawful sexual conduct with a minor, all felonies of the fourth degree. On October 2, 2007, appellant pled guilty to one of the ten counts in the indictment. Pursuant to the plea agreement, the *Page 2 state moved to dismiss the remaining nine counts. A presentence investigation report was ordered, and a sentencing date was scheduled. On December 10, 2007, appellant was sentenced to serve 18 months in prison for the aforementioned offense.
{¶ 3} Appointed counsel for appellant has submitted a request to withdraw pursuant to Anders v. California (1967),
{¶ 4} In the instant case, appellant's counsel represents that, after carefully reviewing the transcript consisting of the record on appeal, and after researching case law *Page 3 and statutes relating to potential issues, he was unable to find any meritorious appealable issues. He does, however, set forth the following potential assignment of error:
{¶ 5} I. "THE TRIAL COURT ERRED TO THE PREJUDICE OF THE APPELLANT/DEFENDANT BY SENTENCING HIM TO THE MAXIMUM SENTENCE."
{¶ 6} In addition, appellate counsel represents that, concurrent with the filing of his motion to withdraw, he mailed a copy of his brief to appellant.
{¶ 7} We find that, in the case before us, appellate counsel has satisfied the requirements set forth in Anders, supra. Further, appellant has not filed a pro se brief or otherwise responded to counsel's request to withdraw. Accordingly, we shall proceed with an examination of the potential assignments of error set forth by appellate counsel and of the entire record below to determine whether this appeal lacks merit and is, therefore, wholly frivolous.
{¶ 8} As indicated above, appellant's potential assignment of error concerns the propriety of his maximum sentence.
{¶ 9} R.C.
{¶ 10} Under State v. Foster,
{¶ 11} R.C.
{¶ 12} R.C.
{¶ 13} "A silent record raises a presumption that the judge considered the required factors and, therefore, a defendant must establish the failure to follow statutory guidelines." State v. Glass, 8th Dist. No. 83950,
{¶ 14} Here, the trial court never expressly stated that it had considered the required factors. Nevertheless, upon our review of the record, we are satisfied that the requisite consideration was made. First, the trial court expressly acknowledged at the sentencing hearing that it had reviewed appellant's presentence investigation report. The presentence investigation report reveals that appellant had committed prior felony offenses, both as a juvenile and as an adult. It additionally reveals that, at the time appellant committed the instant offense, he was still on probation for one of the earlier offenses.
{¶ 15} In addition, the record establishes that appellant's victim was under the age of 16 at the time the instant offense was committed.
{¶ 16} Regarding the circumstances under which the crime was committed and the effect that the crime had on the victim, testimony by the victim's mother was as follows:
{¶ 17} "Duane was homeless and my family and I took him into our home and we treated him as one of our family. * * *.
{¶ 18} "He was deceitful, manipulative, violent, an alcoholic, used drugs. He violated my daughter. * * *
{¶ 19} "[The victim], my daughter, was severely depressed, suicidal, hospitalized and medicated because of this. *Page 6
{¶ 20} "* * *."
{¶ 21} Finally, the record shows that the trial court, in its judgment entry setting forth the sentence in this case, expressly found that appellant was not amenable to community control.
{¶ 22} On the basis of this record, we cannot conclude that the trial court failed to follow the statutory guidelines. See Glass, supra.
{¶ 23} Accordingly, we find that counsel for appellant correctly determined that there was no meritorious appealable issue present with respect to his sole potential assignment of error.
{¶ 24} Upon our own independent review of the record, we find no other grounds for a meritorious appeal. This appeal is, therefore, found to be without merit and wholly frivolous. Appellate counsel's motion to withdraw is found well-taken and is hereby granted.
{¶ 25} For all of the foregoing reasons, the judgment of the Sandusky County Court of Common Pleas is affirmed. Appellant is ordered to pay the costs of this appeal pursuant to App. R. 24. Judgment for the clerk's expense incurred in preparation of the record, fees allowed by law, and the fee for filing the appeal is awarded to Sandusky County.
*Page 7JUDGMENT AFFIRMED.
*Page 1Peter M. Handwork, J., Arlene Singer, J., William J. Skow, J. CONCUR.
Case-law data current through December 31, 2025. Source: CourtListener bulk data.