Kirk Ready v. State of Florida

183 So. 3d 1234, 2016 Fla. App. LEXIS 711, 2016 WL 231379
CourtDistrict Court of Appeal of Florida
DecidedJanuary 20, 2016
Docket4D13-2870
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 183 So. 3d 1234 (Kirk Ready v. State of Florida) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court of Appeal of Florida primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Kirk Ready v. State of Florida, 183 So. 3d 1234, 2016 Fla. App. LEXIS 711, 2016 WL 231379 (Fla. Ct. App. 2016).

Opinion

CIKLIN, C.J.

The appellant challenges his convictions and sentences for four crimes arising out of his solicitation of a minor over the internet. He argues, among other things, that one of his convictions is barred by double jeopardy principles. We agree, and as to count one, reverse the conviction and sentence. •"

The state charged the appellant in a four-count information. For’ count one, the appellant was charged with a violation of section 847.0135(3), Florida Statutes (2012), which provides:

(3) Certain uses of computer services or devices prohibited. — Any person who knowingly uses a computer online service, Internet service, local bulletin board service, or any other device capable of electronic data storage or transmission to:
(a) Seduce, solicit, lure, or entice, or attempt to seduce, solicit, lure, or entice, a child or another person believed to be a child, to commit any illegal act described in. chapter 794, chapter 800, or chapter 827, or to otherwise engage in any unlawful sexual conduct with a child or with another person believed by the person to be a child; ...
[[Image here]]
commits a felony of the third .degree
[[Image here]]

§ 847.0135(3)(a), Fla. Stat. (2012).

For count two, the state charged the appellant with a violation of section 847.0135(4), which provides:

(4) Traveling to meet a minor. — Any person who travels any distance either within this state, to this state, or from ’this state by any means, who attempts to do so, or who causes another to do so or to attempt to do so for the purpose of engaging in any illegal act described in chapter 794, chapter 800, or chapter 827, or to otherwisé engage in other unlawful sexual conduct with a child or with another person believed by the person to be a child after using a computer online service, Internet service, local bulletin board service, or any other device capable of electronic data storage or transmission to:
(a) Seduce, solicit, lure, or entice or attempt to seduce, solicit, lure, or entice a child or another person believed by the person to be a child, to engage in any illegal act described in chapter 794, chapter 800, or chapter 827, or to otherwise engage in other unlawful- sexual conduct with a child; ...
[[Image here]]
commits a felony of the second degree ....

The state’s evidence at jury trial established that a detective posing as a male minor responded to an advertisement *1236 which the appellant placed on Craigslist, 1 seeking a young male to engage in sexual acts. Beginning early in the afternoon, the two- exchanged a series of e-mails. After exchanging cell phone numbers, they began texting one another. At 6:08 p.m., the detective, posing as the minor, texted, “Brb gonna eat quick.” The two exchanged more texts, the last one occurring at 6:14 p.m. Then there was a break until 6:35 p.m., when the detective indicated he was “[b]ack.” The appellant responded at 6:44 p.m., explaining that he had stepped out. The texting continued into the evening hours, culminating in an agreement to meet at a specified restaurant. After law enforcement officers apprehended the appellant near the restaurant, he gave incriminating statements during a police interrogation.

The jury found the appellant guilty as charged. He argues his convictions on counts one and two violate double jeopardy because the elements of count one are subsumed within count two and the two offenses were actually one continuing act that occurred on the same day.

“Because double jeopardy issues involve purely legal determinations, the standard of review is de novo.” Benjamin v. State, 77 So.3d 781, 783 (Fla. 4th DCA 2011).

[B]oth the United States and Florida Constitutions contain double jeopardy clauses that “prohibit[] subjecting a person to multiple prosecutions, convictions, and punishments for the same criminal offense.” However, ... “there is no constitutional prohibition against multiple punishments for different offenses arising out of the same criminal transaction as long as the Legislature intends to authorize separate punishments.”

State v. Shelley, 176 So.3d 914, 917 (Fla.2015) (internal citation and footnote omitted) (quoting Valdes v. State, 3 So.3d 1067, 1069 (Fla.2009)). The Florida Supreme Court has explained that if the legislature has not expressed an intent to authorize separate punishments for two crimes arising out of one criminal episode, then a court must apply the test recited in Blockburger v. United States, 284 U.S. 299, 52 S.Ct. 180, 76 L.Ed. 306 (1932), which has been codified in section 775.021(4); Florida Statutes. Shelley, 176 So.3d at 9Í7. “This test ‘inquires whether each offekse contains an element not contained in the other; if not, they are the same offense,’ and double jeopardy principles prohibit separate convictions and punishments based upon the same conduct.” Id. at 918 (quoting M.P. v. State, 682 So.2d 79, 81 (Fla.1996)).

The state claims that the legislature authorized separate punishments for violations of subsections 847.0135(3) and (4), but the Florida Supreme Court recently rejected that argument. See id. at 918-19. Although Shelley involved violations of sections 847.0135(3)(b) and (4)(b), and this case involves violations of sections (3)(a) and (4)(a), this does not impact the court’s finding in Shelley that the statute does not contain an explicit statement of intent for separate punishments. 2

*1237 The next question then is whether, under section 775.021(4), double jeopardy applies to bar the dual convictions. The statute provides the following:

(4)(a) Whoever, in the course of one criminal transaction or episode, commits an act or acts which constitute one or more separate criminal offenses, upon conviction and adjudication of guilt, shall be sentenced separately for each criminal offense.... For the purposes of this subsection, offenses are separate if each offense requires proof of an element that the other does not, without regard to the accusatory pleading or the proof adduced at trial.
(b) The intent of the Legislature is to convict and sentence for each criminal offense committed in the course of one criminal episode or transaction and not to allow the principle of lenity as set forth in subsection (1) to determine legislative intent. Exceptions to this rule of construction are:
1. Offenses which require identical elements of proof.
2. Offenses which are degrees of the same offense as provided by statute.

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

STATE OF FLORIDA v. LEX LUGARD EUGENE
District Court of Appeal of Florida, 2021

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
183 So. 3d 1234, 2016 Fla. App. LEXIS 711, 2016 WL 231379, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/kirk-ready-v-state-of-florida-fladistctapp-2016.