In the Matter of the Personal Restraint of Joseph Omar Sabir

CourtCourt of Appeals of Washington
DecidedSeptember 9, 2025
Docket40114-6
StatusUnpublished

This text of In the Matter of the Personal Restraint of Joseph Omar Sabir (In the Matter of the Personal Restraint of Joseph Omar Sabir) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Washington primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

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In the Matter of the Personal Restraint of Joseph Omar Sabir, (Wash. Ct. App. 2025).

Opinion

FILED SEPTEMBER 9, 2025 In the Office of the Clerk of Court WA State Court of Appeals, Division III

IN THE COURT OF APPEALS OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON DIVISION THREE

In the Matter of the Personal Restraint of: ) No. 40114-6-III ) JOSEPH OMAR SABIR, ) ) UNPUBLISHED OPINION Petitioner. )

MURPHY, J. — Joseph Sabir filed this personal restraint petition challenging a

revocation by the Department of Corrections (DOC) of his drug offender sentencing

alternative (DOSA) and reclassification to confinement.

We grant Sabir’s petition in part. At the DOSA hearing, Sabir asked to call a

witness. That witness was not called. This aspect of Sabir’s personal restraint petition is

granted. We do not reach the other due process claims as they are unlikely to reoccur on

remand. The remainder of Sabir’s petition is denied. We vacate the DOC’s revocation

order and remand for a new hearing.

FACTS

On July 27, 2020, Sabir pleaded guilty in Spokane County Superior Court to

criminal mischief and fourth degree assault—domestic violence. He was sentenced to 107 No. 40114-6-III In re Pers. Restraint of Sabir

days of confinement, with 257 days suspended on the assault, and 12 months of

community custody, which included a prohibition from possession or consumption of

controlled substances, and no criminal law violations. While on community custody,

Sabir was arrested in Post Falls, Idaho, for possession of a controlled substance and drug

paraphernalia. The DOC administratively dismissed, without prejudice, possible

violations related to the failure of Sabir to report and being charged with the Idaho

crimes. After Sabir’s release from the Kootenai County Jail, Sabir failed to report to

community custody in Spokane, and a warrant was issued for his arrest.

In January 2021, the DOC was notified that Sabir was arrested in Spokane on

charges of unlawful possession of a firearm.

Community custody violations were levied, inclusive of Sabir twice absconding

from DOC supervision, trice failing to comply with the condition to not possess or

consume controlled substances, as well as traveling outside of Washington without

written permission, failing to comply with the condition to not possess a firearm or

ammunition, and failing to comply with the condition to not have contact with known

gang members and not wear gang paraphernalia. These violations were addressed with a

30-day confinement sanction.

On April 26, 2021, in Spokane County Superior Court, Sabir pleaded guilty to the

crime of second degree unlawful possession of a firearm. The sentencing court imposed a

2 No. 40114-6-III In re Pers. Restraint of Sabir

DOSA with 27.75 months of confinement and 27.75 months of community custody

supervision. Community custody conditions included a substance evaluation and

treatment program.

In November 2021, while still in custody on the April 2021 conviction, Sabir

appeared in Kootenai County District Court for sentencing on the drug possession and

paraphernalia convictions.

Relative to the April 2021 DOSA, Sabir was released in November 2022 to begin

the community custody portion of that sentence.

On February 21, 2023, after Sabir failed to report to his assigned community

custody officer, a warrant was issued after that officer failed to locate Sabir. On March 3,

2023, the substance use disorder facility, SPARC (Spokane Addiction Recovery Centers),

discharged and terminated Sabir for failing to maintain contact, not attending

programming, and having positive urinalysis results. 1

In July 2023, Sabir was arrested and charged in Spokane County Superior Court

with additional crimes, which resulted, on September 5, 2023, in Sabir pleading guilty to

1 Sabir references a substance use disorder discharge showing the reason for discharge as treatment “[c]ompleted.” Pet’r’s Reply to Resp’t’s Response, Attach. 1 at 1. This discharge from treatment was for a treatment admission date of November 29, 2021, and discharge date of October 21, 2022. Under the April 2021 DOSA, Sabir had to continue with recommended substance use disorder treatment. It is this substance use disorder termination that was the basis for one of the subject violations.

3 No. 40114-6-III In re Pers. Restraint of Sabir

(1) possession of a controlled substance with the intent to deliver, (2) first degree

unlawful possession of a firearm, (3) obstructing law enforcement, and (4) making false

or misleading statements to a public servant. The trial court imposed a DOSA on the first

two counts, with credit for time served imposed on the remaining two counts.

In September 2023, the DOC generated a report alleging violations of community

custody requirements for the July 2020 conviction as well as the April 2021 DOSA.

Sabir attended the hearing with the DOC on September 27, 2023. 2 Among other

preliminary matters, the hearing officer informed Sabir of his right to call witnesses.

Sabir answered that he wanted to call his wife as a witness. The discussion of Sabir

requesting that his wife be called as a witness is as follows:

[HEARING OFFICER]: Mr. Sabir, do you intend to call any witnesses today? SABIR: Um, I just wanted to call my . . . my wife as a witness. [HEARING OFFICER]: Okay. SABIR: Um . . . [HEARING OFFICER]: And, what is her name? SABIR: Her name is Jessica. [HEARING OFFICER]: Same last name? SABIR: Yes, ma’am. [HEARING OFFICER]: And her phone number? SABIR: Um . . . [area code]

2 The hearing addressed community custody violations arising out of the 2020 and 2021 convictions. The hearing officer stated and explained that the 2023 DOSA was not at issue because Sabir had not yet moved to the community custody portion of that conviction.

4 No. 40114-6-III In re Pers. Restraint of Sabir

[HEARING OFFICER]: Okay, [area code]? SABIR: Yes, [phone number]. [HEARING OFFICER]: Okay, will she be speaking and providing evidentiary testimony regarding any of the seven alleged violations; or will she be speaking more on the second half of the hearing, which is how you were doing in the community? SABIR: That part. [HEARING OFFICER]: The second half? SABIR: Yes, ma’am. [HEARING OFFICER]: Okay, she doesn’t have any relevant testimony regarding the allegations, or alleged allegation? SABIR: No, ma’am.

Response of the DOC at 216-17.

Sabir pleaded guilty to six of the seven allegations. He pleaded not guilty to the

allegation that he failed to obey all laws on the belief that this violation had already been

adjudicated. The specific allegation that Sabir pleaded not guilty to was:

6. Joseph O. Sabir failed to obey all laws on 11/20/2020, as evidenced by a Judgment and Sentence for Kootenai County, Idaho cause # CR-28-20- 17757, resulting in a conviction for Possession of Amphetamine, contrary to Idaho Code #37-27332 on 11/29/2021, in Kootenai County, Idaho.

Response of the DOC at 173.

After presentation of evidence on allegation number six, and the pleas of guilty to

the other allegations, the hearing officer found Sabir guilty of all seven violations.

5 No. 40114-6-III In re Pers. Restraint of Sabir

The DOC recommended reclassification of Sabir’s DOSA to confinement for a

term to be determined by the record staff. The hearing officer sought Sabir’s input as to

his recommendation for what disposition would be fair and reasonable. Sabir explained

his situation and events that occurred in his life. Sabir articulated a desire to complete

treatment.

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Related

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In re the Personal Restraint of Grantham
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In re the Personal Restraint of Francis
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In re the Personal Restraint of McKay
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