Bolden v. State

Nevada Supreme Court·Decided October 19, 2023·No. 85099-COA·Published

Opinion

139 Nev., Advance Opinion LIU

IN THE COURT OF APPEALS OF THE STATE OF NEVADA

TYLER JAMES BOLDEN, No. 85099-COA Appellant, vs. THE STATE OF NEVADA,

FÏJ E1

Respondent. OCT 19 202 EL CLERK BY

C EF DEPUTY CLERK

Appeal from a judgment of conviction, entered pursuant to a guilty plea, of attempted lewdness with a child under the age of 14 years. Eighth Judicial District Court, Clark County; Jasmin D. Lilly-Spells, Judge.

Affirmed in part, vacated in part, and remanded.

JoNell Thomas, Special Public Defender, and Melinda Simpkins and Robert Arroyo, Chief Deputy Special Public Defenders, Clark County, for Appellant.

Aaron D. Ford, Attorney General, Carson City; Steven B. Wolfson, District Attorney, and Alexander G. Chen, Chief Deputy District Attorney, Clark County, for Respondent.

BEFORE THE COURT OF APPEALS, GIBBONS, C.J., and BULLA and WESTBROOK, JJ.

COURT OF APPEALS OF NEVADA il-14051 MI 1947K

OPINION

By the Court, WESTB.ROOK, J.:

At his sentencing, appellant Tyler James Bolden objected to the imposition of extradition restitution as well as the cost of a psychosexual evaluation on the basis that he lacked the ability to pay. Over his objection, the district court ordered Bolden to pay both the restitution and the full evaluation cost but waived the $25 administrative assessment fee required under NRS 176.062(1).

ln this appeal, we consider whether and to what extent the district court must make an investigative inquiry into a defen.dant's ability to pay extradition restitution under NRS 179.225(2) before ordering the defendant to pay that restitution. We also consider whether NRS 176.139(7) requires the district court to make a similar inquiry prior to requiring the ,defendant to pay the psychosexual evaluation cost.

We conclude that the plain language of NRS 179.225(2). requires the district court to inquire, prior to sentencing, into the defendant's ability to pay extradition restitution in light of any existing obligations for child support, victim restitution, or administrative assessments. NRS 179.225(2)(a)-(c).. The district court's statutory duty is satisfied by asking the defendant whether they have any such obligations that would be impacted by the imposition of extradition restitution and by determining whether the defendant is able to pay such obligations or, alternatively, if extradition restitution would prevent the defendant from satisfying those obligations.

In contrast, we conclude that the plain language of NRS 176.139(7) does not require the district court, sua sponte, to conduct a similar investigative inquiry before requiring a defendant to pay for the cost

COURT OF APPEALS OF

NEVADA 2 CO) 19•171i ...ea. • of a psychosexual evaluation. Rather, it is incumbent upon the defendant to object to the psychosexual evaluation cost based on their inability to pay, and the defend.ant bears the bui...den to substantiate that inability to pay before the court can reduce or waive the psychosexual evaluation cost. However, once a defendant has done so, the court must mak.e findings On the record as to the extent of the defendant's ability to pay and must impose the cost of the psychosexual evaluation only to that extent.

In this case, because the district court did not undertake an investigative inquiry prior to ordering Bolden to pay extradition restitution under NRS 179.225(2) or address Bolden's alleged inability to pay the psychosexual evaluation cost following his timely and substantiated objection, we affirm the judgment of conviction, vacate the sentence as to restitution and the cost of . the psychosexual evaluation, and remand for resentencing.

PROCEDURAL AND FACTUAL HISTOR Y After bei.ng extradited from Michigan to Nevada, Bolden entered into negotiations with the State to plead guilty to one count of attempted lewdness with a child under the age of 14 years. His negotiation . .

included an agreement to pay extradition restitution, if an.y was ordered, and an agreement to undergo a psychosexual evaluation pursuant to NRS 1.76.139.

.At the sentencing hearing, the State requested that the court impose restitution for extradition expenses in the amount of $3525, as well as the cost of Bolden's psychosexual evaluation in the amount of $1689.30. Bolden objected to both. the extradition restitution and psychosexual evaluation cost and claimed. that he did not have the ability to pay either amount. Bolden specifically referenced NRS 179.225 in support of his assertion that the extradition restitution should be waived. The district COURT OF APPEALS OF NEVADA 3.

(0) 19471i aiSPIt, court reviewed NRS 179.225 and stated that it "read that statute only to say that the Administrative Assessment fee can be [waived.]" After sentencing Bolden to a term of 42 to 144 months in prison, the district court di.d "not find a basis to waive the extradition cost" and imposed both the extradition restitution and psychosexual evaluation cost in full but waived the $25 administrative assessment required under NRS 176.062(1). Bolden now appeals, challenging the imposition of the restitution for his extradition expenses and the cost .of his psychosexual evaluation.

ANALYSIS

In this appeal, we address the following i.ssues: (1) whether and to what extent NRS 179.225(2) requires the district court to conduct an investigative inquiry into the defendant's ability to pay before ordering the defendant to pay extradition restitution, and (2) whether NRS 176.139(7) imposes a similar investigative requirement on the district court to inquire as to the defendant's ability to pay the cost of a psychosexual evaluation before ordering the defendant to pay that cost.

The decision to impose restitution under NRS 176.033(3), including extradition restitution pursuant to NRS 1.79.225, is a sentencing determination. Martinez v. State, 115 Nev. 9, 12, 974 P.2d 133, 135 (1999).1 The district court has broad discretion when sentencing a defendant, and "in the absence of a showing of abuse of such discretion, we will not disturb the sentence." Parrish, v. State, 116 Nev. 982, 988-89, 12 P.3d 953. 957 (1980) (quoting Deveroux v. State, 96 Nev. 388, 390, 610 P.2d 722, 724

1.We note that although Martinez addressed restitution to victims of crime Under NRS 176.033(3) (formerly codified as .NRS 176.033(1)(c), see 2019 Nev. Stat.,. ch. 633, § 10.5, at 4382), the same statute provides for.both restitution to victims of crime as well as restitution to the State of Nevada or other governmental entity for extradition expenses.

COURT OF APPEALS OF NEVADA

(0) 1947H 4441PD

(1980)). "An abuse of discretion occurs if the district court's decision is arbitrary or capricious or if it exceeds the bounds of law or reason." Crawford v. State, 121 Nev. 744, 748, 121 P.3d 582, 585 (2005) (quoting Jackson v. State, 11.7 Nev.. 116, 120, 17 P.3d 998, 1000 (2001)). Imposition of extradition restitution nolden first contends that the district • court abused its discretion when it imposed extradition restitution without first investigating his ability to pay under NRS 179.225(2).2 To evaluate this argument, we must engage i.n statutory interpretation, which, like other questions of law, we review de novo. See Doolin v. State, Dep't of Corr., 134 Nev. 809, 811, 4.40 P.3d 53, 55 (Ct. App. 2018). "The goal of statutory interpretation is to give effect to the Legislature's intent." Id. (internal quotation marks omitted). To determine the Legislature's intent, we begin by looking at the statute's plain language. Id. In doing so, we "interpret a rule or statute in harmony with other rules or statutes." Id. (internal quotation marks omitted).

Here, the relevant language is contained in subsections (2) and (3) of NRS 179.225:

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