State v. Price
State v. Price
Opinion
{¶1} Appellant Shaheim Antell Delquez Price appeals the judgment entry of the Belmont County Court of Common Pleas, imposing a seven-year sentence for his conviction for one count of felonious assault, in violation of R.C. 2903.11(A)(2), a felony of the second degree. The sentencing entry imposes reimbursement costs in the amount of $ 732.80 for Appellant's prosecution, supervision, and confinement, as well as fees authorized by R.C. 2949.14 and 2947.23. (1/23/18 J.E. p. 5).
{¶2} Appellant asserts that the trial court committed plain error when it imposed reimbursement costs as a part of his sentence without first determining his ability to pay. He further asserts that the trial court erred when it failed to notify him that he is prohibited from ingesting or being injected with any drug of abuse, and that he would be subject to random drug testing during his incarceration. Because the trial court did not commit plain error, we affirm the judgment entry of sentence.
{¶3} At the sentencing hearing on January 22, 2018, the trial court completely omitted any reference to Appellant's obligation to refrain from illegal drug use, or that he would be subject to random drug testing, while incarcerated. However, the trial court did inform Appellant that he would "be ordered to reimburse the State and county for the costs associated with [his] confinement and prosecution." (1/22/18 Sent. Hrg. p. 6). No contemporaneous objection was made to the trial court's omission regarding illegal drug use, random drug testing, or the imposition of the costs of prosecution and confinement.
{¶4} Review of felony sentences is governed by R.C. 2953.08(G)(2).
State v. Marcum
,
{¶5} When the defendant fails to object at sentencing, the reviewing court can conduct only a plain error review.
State v. Masson
, 7th Dist.,
{¶6} In his first assignment of error, Appellant asserts:
THE TRIAL COURT COMMITTED REVERSIBLE ERROR AND PLAIN ERROR BY ORDERING DEFENDANT TO PAY THE COSTS OF THE PROSECUTION, SUPERVISION AND CONFINEMENT WITHOUT DETERMINING IF MR. PRICE WAS INDIGENT OR NOT.
{¶7} A sentencing court is obligated by statute to include the cost of prosecution in the sentence and render a judgment against the defendant for such costs. R.C. 2947.23(A)(1)(a). Waiver of costs is permitted, but not required, if the defendant is indigent.
State v. White
,
{¶8} Appellant cites
State v. Joseph
,
{¶9} Of equal import,
Joseph
is no longer good law. In 2014, the General Assembly amended R.C. 2947.23 by adding subsection (C), which reads, in pertinent part, "The court retains jurisdiction to waive, suspend, or modify the payment of the costs of prosecution * * * at the time of sentencing or at any time thereafter." As a consequence, remand for resentencing is not necessary, insofar as an Ohio defendant can file a post-judgment motion to waive costs after sentencing. See
State v. Beasley
,
{¶10} In his second assignment of error, Appellant alleges:
THE TRIAL COURT COMMITTED REVERSIBLE ERROR AND PLAIN ERROR BY FAILING TO COMPLY WITH R.C. 2929.19(B)(2)(F).
{¶11} The subsection of R.C. 2929.19 upon which Appellant predicates his second assignment of error was deleted from the statute pursuant to the enactment of 2018 S 66 on October 29, 2018. Former R.C. 2929.19(B)(2)(f) read:
Subject to division (B)(3) of this section, if the sentencing court determines at the sentencing hearing that a prison term is necessary or required, the court shall do all of the following:
* * *
(f) Require that the offender not ingest or be injected with a drug of abuse and submit to random drug testing as provided in section 341.26, 753.33, or 5120.63 of the Revised Code, whichever is applicable to the offender who is serving a prison term, and require that the results of the drug test administered under any of those sections indicate that the offender did not ingest or was not injected with a drug of abuse.
Appellant was sentenced on January 22, 2018, prior to the effective date of the 2018 amendments.
{¶12} Several Ohio intermediate courts have rejected sentencing challenges based on the alleged failure to comply with R.C. 2929.19(B)(2)(f). The majority of the Districts that have considered the issue have concluded that the failure to provide any admonition regarding drug use and/or notification regarding drug testing does not constitute reversible error. The First, Second, Third, Fifth, Eleventh, and Twelfth Districts have agreed that the requirements in subsection (f) were intended to facilitate the drug testing of prisoners, not to create substantive notification rights. See
State v. Haywood
, 1st Dist. No. C130525,
{¶13} In
State v. Tell
, 11th Dist. No. 2017-P-0031,
{¶14} We adopt the sound reasoning of our sister Districts that have held that the failure to notify a defendant of the requirements set forth in R.C. 2929.19(B)(2)(f) at the sentencing hearing does not constitute prejudicial error. As a consequence, Appellant's second assignment of error has no merit.
{¶15} In summary, the statute governing the imposition of costs and jury fees recognizes the trial court's continuing jurisdiction to consider a motion seeking waiver of the fees at any time including post-judgment. Therefore, Appellant need not be resentenced in order to assert his indigent status and seek waiver of the costs imposed by the trial court. Further, Appellant has not demonstrated prejudicial error resulting from the trial court's failure to notify him of the prohibition of illegal drug abuse and random drug testing during his incarceration. Accordingly, the judgment of conviction is affirmed.
Donofrio, J., concurs.
Waite, P.J., concurs.
Case-law data current through December 31, 2025. Source: CourtListener bulk data.