Long v. State

867 N.E.2d 606, 2007 Ind. App. LEXIS 1202, 2007 WL 1599187
Indiana Court of Appeals·Decided June 5, 2007·No. 76A05-0607-CR-387·Published·Cited by 23 cases

Opinion

OPINION

DARDEN, Judge.

STATEMENT OF THE CASE

Gregory John Long appeals his convictions, after a trial by jury, on one count of corrupt business influence, a class C felony, and two counts of theft, as class D felonies, and the sentence imposed by the trial court thereon.

We affirm.

ISSUES

1. Whether sufficient evidence supports the convictions.

2. Whether Long received ineffective assistance of trial counsel.

3. Whether Long’s sentence is inappropriate.

*610 4. Whether sufficient evidence supports the trial court’s restitution order.

FACTS

Long owned and operated Durability Plus Engines, Inc., in Angola; he testified that he started the company in 1983. Durability Plus designed, built, rebuilt, and restored engines. Durability Plus also sold engine parts and engines to the public, and some of those products were offered for sale on eBay.

In October of 2004, Ronald Barone of Alabama, New York saw a listing — described by Long as “like putting an ad in the newspaper,” (Tr. 372) — on eBay that offered a “[b]rand new NOS [c]rossram system” with a specific GM parts number for a Z-28 Camaro automobile. (Ex. 12). Before bidding, Barone called the telephone number provided in the eBay listing, and he spoke with Long. To Barone, “NOS” or “new old stock mean[t] built in 1969,” (Tr. 236); thus, a NOS cross ram system with the listed GM part number was “a system” that included “the parts that went with” the cross ram and was “cast in 1969” and available for purchase at that time. (Tr. 219, 230). Barone told Long that he wanted “a real, new old stock cross ram” and not “a reproduction.” (Tr. 219). Long “assured” Barone that what he was offering to sell “was a real one” and stated “that he had twelve of them that he bought back in '69.” Id. Barone submitted the “winning bid” of $10,100.00 for a new system as offered. (Ex. 12). Long then informed Barone that a hood was not included in the system and would be an additional $425.00. After adding the shipping charges and the price for a hood to the bid amount, Barone sent Long a check dated October 26, 2004, in the amount of $10,820.00 and made out to Durability Plus Engines. The check cleared Barone’s bank. After having not received the system, Barone started calling Long to inquire about the status of his order, and Long “kept telling” him that it would “be out shortly.” (Tr. 223). In late November, Barone received a “scratched” hood with “damage all over” and “broken corners.” Id. Three days later, “the cross ram showed up” and Barone “immediately ... noticed it wasn’t a real one” but a reproduction. Id.

Barone called Long, who said “it should be a real one” and that he would “try to make it right” and send “a real NOS system.” (Tr. 224). “[T]hree months later,” Barone received “another fake.” (Tr. 225). Long then called to ask Barone to send the first cross ram back, and Barone responded that if Long refunded his money, he would return the system sent by Long. Long never sent Barone a refund, and the two reproduction cross rams remained in Barone’s possession.

Allen Stoltz lived in British Columbia, Canada. In October of 2004, Stoltz saw the listing by Durability Plus on eBay that offered a brand new NOS cross i'am intake system for a Z-28 Camaro automobile and had sold for a winning bid of $10,100.00 plus shipping. To Stoltz, “NOS mean[t] new old stock,” “a brand new, never bolted on” unit that had been “cast in 1969 or ['6]8 when they were first produced.” (Tr. 192). Stoltz telephoned the number in the listing “to ask if [the seller] had any more NOS cross ram units for sale” and spoke with Long. (Tr. 191). Stoltz testified that Long “said he had approximately sixteen that he had bought way back when, in '69 or early seventies,” and that he and Long “agreed on a price.” (Tr. 193). Long sent Stoltz a statement dated October 28, 2004, from “Durability Plus Engines, Inc.,” (Ex. 9), indicating that the cross ram system and some additional parts (including a hood and a water pump) would cost a total of $13,170.00. Stoltz sent Long a check *611 payable to “D.P.E., Inc.” dated November 3, 2004, in the amount of $13,170.00. The check cleared, but Stoltz did not receive the merchandise he had ordered.

Stoltz telephoned Long, who informed him his order “was boxed and sitting there waiting for shipment.” (Tr. 195). When the order did not arrive, Stoltz made several more telephone calls to Long, who continued to promise shipment. In January of 2005, Stoltz received “a very cheap knock off’ air cleaner “with the wrong air filter inside it,” “a very pitted rebuilt water pump,” and a “cracked hood.” 1 (Tr. 196, Ex. 11). Stoltz telephoned Long, and Long “admitted that he did not, in fact, have an NOS cross ram” but would send Long “a cross ram that’s better than NOS.” (Tr. 198). Stoltz responded that he “paid for ... an NOS cast in '69 intake for a '69 Z-28, not a reproduction.” Id. Stoltz asked for his money back, and Long responded, “Not gonna happen.” Id. Stoltz heard nothing further from Long until after March 11, 2005. After that date, Stoltz received from Long another reproduction cross ram. Subsequently, Long sent Stoltz what he promised “was the real deal” — which he said had cost “huge money.” (Tr. 200). At that point, Stoltz had been sent three cross rams: two were “fake cross rams,” and one was “a used, original cross ram.” (Tr. 215).

On March 11, 2005, the State had charged Long with seven counts of theft, as class D felonies, and with one count of corrupt business influence, a class C felony. Some of the charges were amended on February 22, 2006. Long was tried by a jury on February 23-24, 2006. The trial court informed the jury that Long was charged, inter alia, with two counts of theft: that he “knowingly or intentionally exert[ed] unauthorized control over” (1) $13,170.00 that was “the property of A1 Stoltz with the intent to deprive” Stoltz of the use or value of that property, (Tr. 128); and (2) $10,820.00 that was “the property of Ron Barone with the intent to deprive” Barone of the use or value of that property. (Tr. 130). The trial court further informed the jury that Long was charged with the offense of corrupt business influence: that “between May 7, 2004 and November 10, 2004,” Long committed “a pattern of profiteering activity” — consisting of, inter alia, the “theft from A1 Stoltz” of “$13,170.00 on November 10, 2004,” and the “theft from Ron Barone of $10,820.00 on November 1, 2004,” and that he “did knowingly or intentionally maintain an interest in or control of an enterprise”— Durability Plus Engines. (Tr. 131, 132).

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Long v. State, 867 N.E.2d 606, 2007 Ind. App. LEXIS 1202, 2007 WL 1599187 (Ind. Ct. App. 2007).

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