Commonwealth v. Tsopanis-Sellari

9 Pa. D. & C.5th 165
CourtPennsylvania Court of Common Pleas, Berks County
DecidedSeptember 22, 2009
Docketno. CP-06-CR-5135-08
StatusPublished

This text of 9 Pa. D. & C.5th 165 (Commonwealth v. Tsopanis-Sellari) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Pennsylvania Court of Common Pleas, Berks County primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Commonwealth v. Tsopanis-Sellari, 9 Pa. D. & C.5th 165 (Pa. Super. Ct. 2009).

Opinion

LUDGATE, J,

This is a timely appeal filed by Nikos Tsopanis-Sellari (defendant) to challenge this court’s denial of the defendant’s pretrial motion to suppress physical evidence and imposition of mandatory minimum sentence pursuant to 42 Pa.C.S. §9712.1. The court adopts and incorporates its findings of fact and conclusions of law dated March 18,2009 into this opinion.

I. FACTUAL AND PROCEDURAL HISTORY

On December 3, 2008, the defendant was charged in a bill of information with Count 1, possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute (marijuana), 35 P.S. 780-113(a)(30), Count 2, possession of a con[167]*167trolled substance (marijuana), 35 P.S. 780-113(a)(16), Count 3, possession of drug paraphernalia, 35 P.S. 780-113(a)(32) and Count 4, prohibited weapons offense, 18 Pa.C.S. §908(a).

A hearing was held before this court on February 9, 2009 on the defendant’s omnibus pretrial motion, in which the defendant sought to suppress physical evidence, suppress statements and a writ of habeas corpus as to all counts.

On March 18, 2009, this court issued findings of fact and conclusions of law and order, denying the defendant’s motion for suppression of physical evidence, motion for suppression of statements and motion for pretrial writ of habeas corpus. That document has been incorporated into this opinion.

On June 11, 2009, a stipulated bench trial was held before this court and the defendant was found guilty of all counts. On July 24, 2009, the court sentenced the defendant to the five-year mandatory sentence1 for Count 1, possession with intent to deliver marijuana, 35 P.S. 780-113(a)(30), in addition to five years state parole for Count 4, prohibited weapons offense, 18Pa.C.S. §908(a), and 12 months state parole for Count 3, possession of drug paraphernalia, 35 P.S. 780-113(a)(32). The defendant, through counsel, filed a timely notice of appeal on August 24,2009 and concise statement on September 2, 2009.

[168]*168II. ISSUES RAISED BY THE DEFENDANT

The defendant, through counsel, raises the following issues for review on appeal:

“(1) Whether this court erred in denying the defendant’s motion to suppress the seized marijuana, sawed-off shotgun, his statements and the fruit thereof because:
“(a) The probation officers could not legally detain, subject the defendant to an investigative detention or threaten the defendant with a search as he was only on ARD and therefore not subject to their authority.
“(b) The probation officers lacked the reasonable suspicion and/or probable cause necessary to make such a detention, seizure or to threaten a search.
“(c) The statements to the probation officers and the disclosure of the marijuana and sawed-off shotgun were not consensual as the defendant was under duress at the time and his consent was not knowing, intelligent and voluntary as the probation officers had falsely represented their authority.
“(d) Defendant’s statements in the kitchen and the fruits thereof were unlawfully obtained as the defendant was handcuffed in custodial detention and had not been informed of his Miranda rights prior to questioning.
“(2) Whether this court erred in imposing the mandatory sentence under 42 Pa.C.S. §9712.1 because:
“(a) The mandatory language is unconstitutionally vague as it fails to provide a precise definition of the term ‘close proximity.’
[169]*169“(b) The mandatory should not have been imposed as the Commonwealth failed to prove the sawed-off shotgun was in ‘close proximity’ to the marijuana.
“(c) The mandatory should not be imposed as it is constitutionally overbroad in that it criminalizes possession of weapons that are otherwise lawfully possessed in violation of the United States and Pennsylvania Constitutions.
“(d) Considering the nature of the defendant’s cystic fibrosis, imposition of the mandatory constitutes cruel and unusual punishment in violation of the United States and Pennsylvania Constitutions.
“(e) Imposing the mandatory sentence in this instance is in violation of United States and Pennsylvania Constitutions in that the mandatory sentence is grossly disproportionate to the crime that was committed and the punishment for similar crimes. In particular, the mandatory calls for a sentence 15 times greater than the aggravated range of the Pennsylvania sentence guidelines.
“(f) The mandatory should not have been imposed as the Commonwealth failed to prove that the sawed-off shotgun was a ‘firearm’ for the purposes of the mandatory statute.”

III. ANALYSIS

(1) Discovery of the Marijuana and Shotgun

(a) Authority of Probation Officers

The defendant asked this court to suppress evidence based on alleged lack of authority of the probation of[170]*170ficers over individuals on ARD. This argument is based on 61 RS. §331.27b, which provides:

“(a) County probation and parole officers are in a supervisory relationship with their offenders. The purpose of this supervision is to assist the offenders in their rehabilitation and reassimilation into the community and to protect the public.
“(b) County probation and parole officers and, where they are responsible for the supervision of county offenders, state parole agents are authorized to search the person and property of county offenders in accordance with the provisions of this section. County probation officers are authorized to search, in accordance with the provisions of this section, the person and property of any offender who accepts Accelerated Rehabilitative Disposition (ARD) as a result of a charge of a violation of 18 Pa.C.S. ch. 31 (relating to sexual offenses) if the court has determined that the offender shall be subject to personal and property searches as a condition of the offender’s participation in the ARD program. The court shall notify each offender so offered ARD, prior to admission to an ARD program, that the offender shall be subject to searches in accordance with this section. Nothing in this section shall be construed to permit searches or seizures in violation of the Constitution of the United States or Section 8 of Article I of the Constitution of Pennsylvania.
“(c) No violation of this section shall constitute an independent ground for suppression of evidence in any probation and parole or criminal proceeding.
“(d)
“(1) A personal search of an offender may be conducted by any officer:
[171]*171“(i) if there is a reasonable suspicion to believe that the offender possesses contraband or other evidence of violations of the conditions of supervision;
“(ii) when an offender is transported or taken into custody; or
“(iii) upon an offender entering or leaving the securing enclosure of a correctional institution, jail or detention facility.

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Bluebook (online)
9 Pa. D. & C.5th 165, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/commonwealth-v-tsopanis-sellari-pactcomplberks-2009.