Griffith v. State

208 So. 3d 1208, 2017 Fla. App. LEXIS 291
District Court of Appeal of Florida·Decided January 13, 2017·No. Case No. 5D15-4203·Published·Cited by 4 cases

Opinion

ORFINGER, J.

After entering a nolo contendere plea to a six-count information, David Griffith appeals his judgments and sentences for one count of soliciting a child for unlawful sexual conduct using computer services or devices (count 1), and one count of traveling to meet a minor for illegal sexual conduct (count 2). Griffith contends that these two convictions violate the prohibition against double jeopardy. This Court has jurisdiction. Fla. R. App. P. 9.140(b)(2)(A)(ii)(e); Holubek v. State, 173 So.3d 1114, 1116 (Fla. 5th DCA 2015) (finding that defendant does not “specifically waive his right to appeal a double jeopardy violation by generally waiving his right to appeal at the plea colloquy”).

On Monday, February 3, 2014, Griffith responded via email to a Craigslist post from a “Lonly clermont girl!” The Craig-slist ad was placed by Detective Von McKenzie of the Lake County Sheriffs Office, posing as a thirteen-year-old girl named “Kelly.” Griffith and “Kelly” communicated back and forth in an increasingly sexually explicit manner via email from 5:51 p.m. until 10:45 p.m. By the time the email exchanges ended that day, a tentative plan was made for “Kelly” and Griffith to meet for sexual conduct the following Friday.

The next day — Tuesday, February 4 — at 5:14 a.m., Griffith emailed “Kelly” and asked, among other things, what time she woke up, where she lived, and whether sixty dollars would pay for a cell phone she wanted. At 9:00 a.m., “Kelly” responded and said that sixty dollars would be “awesome.” Griffith replied, saying “So Friday, 60 dollars, where and what time?” Griffith then described the sex acts he hoped they would engage in when they met on Friday, February 7, 2014. Later that day, Griffith emailed “Kelly” again and she responded, saying that she had gotten “the nerve up” to meet him and asked him to come over that day. Griffith said he could meet her later that day by 6:00 p.m. More emails followed and, at 5:52 p.m., “Kelly” gave Griffith directions to her home and said she would meet him at the apartment complex’s gate. When he arrived twenty minutes later, he was arrested.

The State charged Griffith in a six-count information, but only counts 1 and 2 are relevant to this appeal. In count 1, Griffith was charged with soliciting a child for unlawful sexual conduct using computer services or devices in violation of section 847.0135(3), Florida Statutes (2014), for his actions on February 3, 2014. In count 2, the State charged Griffith with traveling to meet a minor for illegal sexual conduct in violation of section 847.0135(4)(a), Florida Statutes (2014), for his actions on Febru[1211] ary 4, 2014. Griffith entered an open plea to all counts. During the plea colloquy, no mention was made about double jeopardy and none occurred at sentencing.

Generally, a defendant cannot raise a double jeopardy challenge for the first time on appeal. An exception to this rule applies if: (1) the defendant’s plea is a general plea and not a plea bargain, (2) the double jeopardy violation is apparent on the face of the record, and (3) there is nothing in the record to indicate the defendant waived the double jeopardy violation. Novaton v. State, 634 So.2d 607, 609 (Fla. 1994). The burden of proving that a double jeopardy violation is apparent from the record is on the appellant. Edwards v. State, 139 So.3d 981, 983 (Fla. 1st DCA 2014). This burden is similar to the burden on a party bringing a motion to correct a sentence under Florida Rule of Criminal Procedure 3.800, who must “demonstrate an entitlement to relief on the face of the record.” Williams v. State, 967 So.2d 600, 604 (Fla. 2007). In such motions, the mov-ant must

affirmatively allege that the trial court records demonstrate on their face an entitlement to relief. A mere conclusory allegation that the answer lies in the record is insufficient to satisfy the pleading requirements of the rule. At a minimum, a rule 3.800 motion should state where in the record the information can be located and explain how the record demonstrates entitlement to relief.

id If the entitlement to relief cannot be discerned from the face of the record, without resorting to fact-finding, then the motion must be denied and the relief sought by another method. Santiago v. State, 22 So.3d 789, 790 (Fla. 5th DCA 2009) (holding movant must file rule 3.850 motion instead of rule 3.800 motion if claim cannot be resolved from face of record without resorting to fact-finding). We think this standard applies equally to double jeopardy cases because, like sentencing claims, the resolution of a double jeopardy claim often ‘“depends upon factual evidence involving the times, places, and circumstances of the offense,’ and often cannot be determined from the face of the record.” State v. Callaway, 658 So.2d 983, 988 (Fla. 1995) (quoting Callaway v. State, 642 So.2d 636, 639 (Fla. 2d DCA 1994)), receded from on other grounds by Dixon v. State, 730 So.2d 265 (Fla. 1999).1 “record” from which a violation must be apparent consists only of what the trier of fact saw and heard. Matson v. Wilco Office Supply & Equip. Co., 541 So.2d 767, 769 (Fla. 1st DCA 1989).

Thus, the key issue in this case is whether Griffith has pointed us to a double jeopardy violation that is apparent on the face of the record. The State argues Griffith violated the solicitation statute on February 3rd and then violated the traveling statute on February 4th. In contrast, Griffith argues that his solicitation began on [1212] February 3rd and continued on February 4th until his arrest. Under the State’s theory, the February 3rd solicitation was distinct from the February 4th solicitation that was a necessary component of the traveling charge. Under Griffith’s theory, the February 3rd and 4th solicitations were part of one continuous criminal action that resulted in traveling.

Section 847.0135(3) prohibits the use of a computer to solicit a child, or a person believed to be a child, for sex. Section 847.0135(4) makes it a crime to travel to meet a child for sex after soliciting the child by computer. If based on the same conduct, the charge of traveling after solicitation subsumes the solicitation charge, which is a lesser included offense. State v. Shelley, 176 So.3d 914, 919 (Fla. 2015).2

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Griffith v. State, 208 So. 3d 1208, 2017 Fla. App. LEXIS 291 (Fla. Ct. App. 2017).

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