State v. Casey, 90083 (6-16-2008)
State v. Casey, 90083 (6-16-2008)
Opinion of the Court
{¶ 2} On September 16, 1986, defendant pled guilty to one count of gross sexual imposition after sexually abusing his 12-year-old step-daughter. On March 9, 1993, defendant pled guilty to one count of rape and one count of gross sexual imposition. The charges stemmed from a pattern of sexual abuse against his four-year-old step-granddaughter.
{¶ 3} On June 13, 2007, the trial court conducted a sexual predator hearing and adjudicated defendant a sexual predator. Defendant now appeals and asserts two assignments of error for our review.
{¶ 4} "I. The evidence is insufficient, as a matter of law, to prove by `clear and convincing evidence' that appellant is likely to engage in the future in one or more sexually oriented offenses.'"
{¶ 5} The law in effect at the time of defendant's hearing, R.C.
{¶ 6} In making a sexual predator determination, a trial court should consider all relevant factors, which include, but are not limited to, the following: the offender's age, the offender's prior criminal record, the age of the victim, whether the sexually oriented offense for which sentence was imposed involved multiple victims, whether the offender used drugs or alcohol to impair the victim or to prevent the victim from resisting, whether the offender has participated in available programs for sexual offenders, any mental illness or mental disability of the offender, the nature of the offender's conduct and whether that conduct was part of a demonstrated pattern of abuse, whether the offender displayed cruelty during the commission of the crime, and any additional behavioral characteristics that contributed to the offender's conduct. R.C.
{¶ 7} A trial court is not required to find a specific number of factors under R.C.
{¶ 8} After reviewing the record, we conclude that the trial court did not err when it classified defendant as a sexual predator. Here, the evidence demonstrated that the defendant was 24 years of age at the time of the first incident and that the victim was his 12-year-old step-daughter. The second incident occurred seven years later and involved his four-year-old step-granddaughter. Although the children were not his blood relatives, clearly, there was a position of trust between the defendant and his two victims. The trial court also noted that it was significant that defendant's account of the offense to the court's psychiatric clinic was not consistent with the physical findings regarding the four-year-old victim, which indicated serious sexual conduct, including possible vaginal and anal intercourse.
{¶ 9} Defendant argues that, notwithstanding the court's findings, most of the statutory factors weighed against a sexual predator determination and that he scored in the low-risk-to-reoffend range in the Static-99 report, a series of tests designed to recognize if a sexual offender is likely to reoffend.
{¶ 10} A trial court is not required to rely solely on psychiatric findings or opinions in its determination regarding the likelihood of recidivism. State v. Robertson (2002),
{¶ 11} Here, we find that there was competent, credible evidence to support the trial court's finding that the State proved by clear and convincing evidence that defendant is a sexual predator. See State v.Wilson,
{¶ 12} Assignment of Error I is overruled.
{¶ 13} "II. R.C.
{¶ 14} In his second assignment of error, defendant argues that the trial court's finding that he is a sexual predator constitutes an additional criminal punishment and violates constitutional prohibitions against ex post facto and retroactive legislation.
{¶ 15} R.C. Chapter
{¶ 16} "* * * R.C. Chapter
{¶ 17} Notwithstanding this established case law, defendant argues that Senate Bill 5,2 which prohibits a sexual predator from applying for reconsideration of that classification at a later date, renders R.C.
{¶ 18} Assignment of Error II is overruled.
Judgment affirmed.
It is ordered that appellee recover from appellant its costs herein taxed.
The court finds there were reasonable grounds for this appeal.
It is ordered that a special mandate issue out of this Court directing the Court of Common Pleas to carry this judgment into execution.
A certified copy of this entry shall constitute the mandate pursuant to Rule 27 of the Rules of Appellate Procedure.
JAMES J. SWEENEY, ADMINISTRATIVE JUDGE CHRISTINE T. McMONAGLE, J., and ANN DYKE, J., CONCUR
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