Like v. State

760 N.E.2d 1188, 2002 Ind. App. LEXIS 24, 2002 WL 57303
CourtIndiana Court of Appeals
DecidedJanuary 16, 2002
Docket63A01-0105-CR-179
StatusPublished
Cited by10 cases

This text of 760 N.E.2d 1188 (Like v. State) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Indiana Court of Appeals primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Like v. State, 760 N.E.2d 1188, 2002 Ind. App. LEXIS 24, 2002 WL 57303 (Ind. Ct. App. 2002).

Opinion

OPINION

BROOK, Judge.

Case Summary

Appellant-defendant Tina R. Like ("Like") appeals her sentence following a conviction for dealing in a schedule II controlled substance 1 as a Class B felony. We affirm in part, vacate in part, and remand.

Issues

Like raises three issues for our review, which we restate as follows:

I. whether the trial court properly enhanced her sentence;
II. whether the trial court properly imposed the maximum fire and fees; and
III. whether the trial court properly © specified Like's release date.

Facts and Procedural History

On February 27, 2001, Like pleaded guilty to a charge of dealing in methampe-tamine, a schedule II controlled substance. The trial court accepted Like's guilty plea and on April 2, 2001, issued the following written sentencing order:

MANDATORY FACTORS
In sentencing [Like], the Court has considered the following factors that are mandated by Ind.Code § 35-38-1-7.1(a):
1. While the pre-sentence investigation report describes [Like's] eriminal history as "minimal," what eriminal history there is, coupled with the length of time that defendant has been involved with methamphetamine, there is a risk that [Like] will commit another crime.
2. [Like] is charged with, and has offered to plead guilty to, the crime of dealing in a schedule II controlled substance. The nature and cireumstances of the crime committed are now well-known to the citizens of Pike County. Methamphetamine is highly addictive. Methamphetamine users are the most difficult to treat. The manufacturing processes are highly volatile and pose a significant public safety problem.
3. [Like's] character is called into question by her prior involvement with the eriminal justice system as a juvenile, and as an adult, a forgery charge in which a trial was held and a mistrial resulted, and ... a charge of dealing methamphetamine that was ultimately dismissed by the State, and, finally, charges against [Like] pending in the Gibson Superior Court.... Those charges are dealing in a schedule II controlled a [sic] substance, possession of a controlled substance, battery on a law enforcement officer, carrying a handgun without a license, and resisting a law enforcement officer. Additionally, the Court views the battery of a law enforcement officer as particularly telling of [Like's] character.
AGGRAVATING FACTORS
The Court finds the following aggravating factors that are discretionary under Ind.Code § 35-38-1-7.1(b):
1. [Like] is in need of correctional and rehabilitative treatment that can best be provided by commitment to a penal facility. This factor is considered *1191 aggravating because past involvement with the justice system has failed to dissuade [Like] from further eriminal activity. Furthermore, [Like] has never undergone any type of treatment. Finally, commitment to a penal facility beyond the presumptive period will impress upon [Like] that eriminal conduct like that which she has engaged in this county, as well as Gibson County, will not be tolerated by the citizens of Pike County.
MITIGATING FACTORS
The Court finds the following mitigating factors that are discretionary under Ind.Code § 35-38-1-7.1(c):
1. [Like] pled guilty to the charge. This factor is considered as a mitigating factor because it relieves the Court of the time and expense of a jury trial
BALANCING OF FACTORS
The Court considers the balance between the aggravating and mitigating factors to be weighted more heavily toward the aggravating factor. While [Like's] willingness to plead guilty mitigates in her favor, the value assigned by the Court is minimal, as [Like] did not offer to change her plea until the day before trial was scheduled. Indeed, the Court was saved the time and expense of a jury trial; however, it was not spared the work involved in preparing for the trial, There was no reason whatsoever for [Like] to wait until the eve of the trial to offer to change her plea. No factor influencing her decision existed on February 26th, that did not exist at some point in time well before the day of trial.
Finally, the Court would generally take into consideration the burden that imprisonment of a mother would impose on her minor children. However, in this case, [Like] placed her children in the care of others some time ago. By her criminal conduct, [Like] has shown no regard for their well-being. Consequently, the court gives no weight to this factor. Given the minimal value assigned to the mitigating factor, it is, therefore, outweighed by the aggravating factor. [Like's] need for correctional treatment, as shown by her inability to abide by the law, and her need for rehabilitative treatment, which is shown by the fact that she has never completed treatment, justifies the Court assigning a greater value than that which was assigned to the lone mitigating factors [sic]. An enhanced sentence is further justified by the mandatory factors considered by the Court, as discussed above.

The trial court sentenced Like to twelve years' imprisonment and ordered that she not be released from prison before February 14, 2007, or imprisoned beyond February 13, 2018. The trial court also suspended her driver's license for two years and ordered Like to pay the following: a $10,000 fine, a $125 criminal cost fee, a $3 law enforcement continuing education program fee, a $300 marijuana eradication program fee, and a $1,000 drug abuse interdiction correction fee. The trial court also found Like indigent and advised her that she could not be imprisoned for failing to pay the fine and fees.

Discussion and Decision

I. Enhanced Sentence

Sentencing decisions are committed to the sound discretion of the trial court and are reversed only upon a showing of manifest abuse of discretion. See Allen v. State, 722 N.E.2d 1246, 1250 (Ind.Ct.App.2000). In imposing an enhanced sentence, the trial court must " '(1) identify all significant aggravating and mitigating cireumstances; (2) state the specific reason why each cireumstance is determined *1192 to be mitigating or aggravating; and, (8) articulate the court's evaluation and balancing of the cireumstances.' " Id. (quoting Thacker v. State, 709 N.E.2d 3, 9 (Ind.1999)).

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
760 N.E.2d 1188, 2002 Ind. App. LEXIS 24, 2002 WL 57303, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/like-v-state-indctapp-2002.