United States v. Carr
United States v. Carr
Opinion of the Court
ORDER
This is a Class A misdemeanor case for which Defendant Ranee Carr consented to entry of final judgment and sentencing before a United States Magistrate Judge. On July 23, 2012, a Bill of Information charged Defendant with five counts of violating the Assimilative Crimes Act (“ACA”), 18 U.S.C. §§ 7 and 13,
I.
Pursuant to 18 U.S.C. § 3401(a), a United States Magistrate Judge has jurisdiction “to try persons accused of, and sentence persons convicted of, misdemeanors committed within that judicial district.” See also 28 U.S,C. § 636(a)(5) (authorizing Magistrate Judges to “enter a sentence for a Class A misdemeanor in a case in which the-parties have consented”); Dayton General Order No. Day 12-03: Assignment and Reference to Magistrate Judges (eff. May 15, 2012) (clarifying that “Magistrate Judges Ovington, Newman, and Merz[] are specially designated to exercise jurisdiction in misdemeanor cases in this District”). Under federal law, the authorized maximum term of imprisonment for a misdemeanor is one year or less. 18 U.S.C. § 3559. Magistrate Judges may not, on the other hand, sentence a Defendant to a term of imprisonment exceeding one year, regardless of whether or not Defendant so consents. See Gomez v. United, States, 490 U.S. 858, 871-72, 109 S.Ct. 2237, 104 L.Ed.2d 923 (1989); United States v. Hazlewood, 526 F.3d 862, 864 (5th Cir. 2008).
II.
As Defendant correctly points out, under the O.R.C., Counts Two and Three are classified as fourth degree felonies carrying a statutory sentencing range of six to eighteen months. O.R.C. §§ 2909.04(C), 2929.14(A)(4). A felony under federal law is a crime punishable by a sentence exceeding one year. 18 U.S.C. § 3559. Accordingly, because Counts Two and Three are not misdemeanors — they are defined under state law as felonies, and they each carry an accompanying maximum sentence in excess of one year— the undersigned does not have jurisdiction to try Defendant on those Counts. See 18 U.S.C. § 3401(a). Accord United States v. Guyette, 382 F.Supp. 1266, 1270 (E.D.Va. 1974) (finding that a U.S. Magistrate Judge did not have subject matter jurisdiction to try a defendant on a criminal offense — assimilated into federal law pursuant to the ACA — that was classified as a felony and punishable by imprisonment up to 10 years under Virginia law).
This appears to be an issue of first impression in the Sixth Circuit. It raises two points of inquiry: (1) how the state-law crime is classified (e.g., as a misdemeanor or a felony); and (2) the authorized maximum prison sentence for the crime. As noted above, Counts Two and Three fail under both prongs — i.e., they are classified as felonies under state law and are also punishable by a prison term exceeding one year. See O.R.C. §§ 2909.04(C), 2929.14(A)(4). .
The non-controlling decisions from other Circuits — cited by the Government in its opposition memorandum — are distinguishable. See doc. 13 at PageID 33 (citing United States v. Teran, 98 F.3d 831 (5th
III.
Accordingly, the undersigned does not have jurisdiction over Counts' Two and Three as they are now charged. Therefore, the Government, at this juncture, must decide whether to (1) prosecute these charges as felonies before a District Judge — ie., by obtaining an indictment or waiver of indictment, see Fed.R.Crim.P. 7; or (2) voluntarily dismissing these two charges, in which case the matter can remain before the 'undersigned. ■ This decision rests with the Government. As counsel for the Government and Defendant have agreed, a status conference will be held in person on December 12, 2012 at 9:00 a.m. in the chambers of Magistrate Judge Michael J. Newman. Counsel for the Government shall advise the Court at that time how the Government intends to proceed in this matter. A ruling on Defendant’s motion to dismiss is STAYED in the interim.
EXHIBIT
ORDER GRANTING DEFENDANT’S MOTION TO DISMISS (DOC. ID
The Court has been orally advised by counsel for the government that the government has elected not to proceed with Counts Two and Three of the Information. Based on the Court’s analysis in its November 28, 2012 Order, -Defendant’s motion to dismiss those charges (doc. 11) is GRANTED. This case will proceed before the undersigned on the remaining Counts One, Four and Five.
IT IS SO ORDERED.
December 12, 2012
. The ACA assimilates certain state-law offenses occurring on federal property as violations of the federal criminal code. See Lewis v. United States, 523 U.S. 155, 158, 118 S.Ct. 1135, 140 L.Ed.2d 271 (1998); United States v. Couch, 65 F.3d 542, 543 (6th Cir. 1995).
Reference
- Full Case Name
- United States v. Rance CARR
- Status
- Published