People v. Arreguin

CourtCalifornia Court of Appeal
DecidedJune 14, 2022
DocketA162718
StatusPublished

This text of People v. Arreguin (People v. Arreguin) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering California Court of Appeal primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
People v. Arreguin, (Cal. Ct. App. 2022).

Opinion

Filed 6/14/22 CERTIFIED FOR PUBLICATION

IN THE COURT OF APPEAL OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA

FIRST APPELLATE DISTRICT

DIVISION THREE

THE PEOPLE, Plaintiff and Respondent, A162718

v. (Sonoma County Super. Ct. Nos. SCR678994-1 CHRISTOPHER ARREGUIN, & SCR681736-2) Defendant and Appellant.

On September 27, 2016, defendant Christopher Arreguin pleaded guilty to human trafficking (case No. SCR681736-2) and second degree robbery (case No. SCR678994-1) in separate, unconsolidated cases. On December 1, 2016, the trial court imposed an aggregated sentence of six years, comprised of the principal term of five years for the human trafficking offense plus a consecutive subordinate term of one year for the robbery offense. The execution of the sentence was suspended, and Arreguin was placed on probation for 60 months in both cases. On May 21, 2019, the court summarily revoked probation in both cases for eight months and probation was reinstated on November 25, 2019. On January 27, 2021, the court again summarily revoked probation in both cases. On April 20, 2021, the court held a contested hearing and found Arreguin had violated probation in both cases based on conduct underlying a January 15, 2021 arrest. On May 21, 2021,

1 the court formally revoked probation in both cases and put into effect the previously suspended aggregate sentence of six years. The sole question before us, which we answer in the affirmative, is whether the trial court erred in denying Arreguin’s motion to dismiss the violation of probation (VOP) filed in the human trafficking case. The 60-month probation term in the human trafficking case was imposed on December 1, 2016, and hence was originally set to expire on December 1, 2021. However, effective January 1, 2021, the maximum probation term for many offenses, including the human trafficking offense at issue in this case, became limited to two years by statute (Pen. Code, 1 § 1203.1, former subd. (a), as amended by Assem. Bill No. 1950 (2020-2021 Reg. Sess.; Stats. 2020, ch. 328, § 2; “AB 1950” 2). As of January 1, 2021, Arreguin had served significantly more than two years of probation, and therefore his probation terminated as a matter of law. His probation having terminated, the court lacked jurisdiction to order summary revocation. While the court erred in denying Arreguin’s motion to dismiss the VOP filed in the human trafficking case based on AB 1950, it retained jurisdiction to adjudicate the VOP filed in the robbery case as the term of probation for the robbery offense was statutorily exempt from the two-year probation limitation in AB 1950.

1 All undesignated statutory references are to the Penal Code. 2 Assembly Bill No. 177 (2021-2022 Reg. Sess.), effective January 1, 2022, effected changes to section 1203.1, repealing the entire section and then adding a new section 1203.1, effective January 1, 2022. (Stats. 2021, ch. 257, § 22, eff. Sept. 23, 2021, operative Jan. 1, 2022.) Because the changes in the new section 1203.1 do not affect the analysis in this case, our opinion will hereafter cite to AB 1950 for convenience.

2 Accordingly, in case No. SCR681736-2 (human trafficking) we reverse the May 19, 2021 sentence and remand that case to the trial court with directions to vacate its order denying Arreguin’s motion to dismiss the VOP, enter a new order granting the motion to dismiss the VOP, and conduct further proceedings consistent with our opinion. In case No. SCR678994-1 (robbery), we reverse the May 19, 2021 sentence and remand that case to the trial court with directions to conduct further proceedings consistent with our opinion. FACTUAL AND PROCEDURAL BACKGROUND In case No. SCR678994-1, Arreguin was charged with the felony offenses of second degree robbery and dissuading a witness by force or threat based on a gunpoint robbery (robbery case). In case No. SCR681736-2, Arreguin was charged with the felony offenses of pandering and human trafficking of a minor for a sex act concerning two victims (human trafficking case). The cases were not consolidated. On September 27, 2016, Arreguin appeared before the trial court to resolve both cases. He pled guilty to human trafficking (§ 236.1, subd. (a)) in case No. SCR681736-2, and second degree robbery (§§ 211, 212.5, subd. (c)) in case No. SCR678994-1. He signed a separate plea agreement in each case, acknowledging his plea would be an “open plea” with “a maximum possible sentence of 6 years.” At sentencing on December 1, 2016, the trial court imposed an aggregate term of six years, comprised of the principal term of five years (the lower term) for the human trafficking offense, plus a consecutive subordinate term of one year (one-third of the middle term) for the robbery offense. The execution of the aggregate sentence was

3 suspended and Arreguin was placed on probation for 60 months in each case, with the terms of probation “to run concurrent with each other.” 3

Thereafter, Arreguin’s probation term in both cases was tolled for approximately eight months (266 days) from March 5, 2019, when the court summarily revoked probation, until November 25, 2019, when the court reinstated probation. (§ 1203.2, subd. (a) [“[t]he revocation [of probation], summary or otherwise, shall serve to toll the running of the period of supervision”].) Effective January 1, 2021, AB 1950 was enacted to limit the maximum probation term a trial court could impose for most felony offenses (including the human trafficking offense in this case) to “a period of time not exceeding two years, and upon terms and conditions as it shall determine.” (§ 1203.1, former subd. (a); Stats. 2020, ch. 328, § 2.) AB 1950 provided that the two-year probation limitation did not apply to certain exempt felonies, including “any violent felony offense listed in section 667.5, subdivision (c),” which exemption applied to the robbery offense in this case. (§ 1203.1, former subd. (m) 4; Stats. 2020, ch. 328, § 2.) As to the exempt felonies, “the court, or the judge thereof, in the order granting probation, may suspend the imposing or the

3 At the time of the December 1, 2016 sentences in these cases, a trial court could impose felony probation for a period “not exceeding the maximum possible term of the sentence,” except “where the maximum possible term of the sentence [was] five years or less,” in which case probation could “continue for not over five years.” (§ 1203.1, former subd. (a); Stats. 2010, ch. 178, § 75, operative Jan. 1, 2012.) 4 As we have noted, AB 1950’s amendments were retained in full when section 1203.1 was later repealed and added again as section 1203.1. (Stats. 2021, ch. 257, §§ 21–22.) Section 1203.1, former subdivision (m), was redesignated as section 1203.1, subdivision (l). (Stats. 2021, ch. 257, § 22.)

4 execution of the sentence and may direct that the suspension may continue for a period of time not exceeding the maximum possible term of the sentence and under conditions as it shall determine.” (Ibid.) On January 27, 2021, the trial court summarily revoked Arreguin’s probation in both cases based on separate, albeit identical, VOPs filed in each case. The VOPs requested revocation based on conduct that took place on January 15, 2021, for which Arreguin was arrested that same day. 5 Arreguin moved to dismiss solely the VOP filed in the human trafficking case on the basis he had served over two years on probation

5 The Probation Department’s request that the court summarily revoke probation was based on the following: “New law violation: . . . On 1/15/21, officers responded to a report of a suspicious vehicle. The defendant was located asleep in the driver’s seat of the vehicle, with the engine on. They noted a bottle of tequila in the front passenger seat. When Arreguin woke and noticed the officers, he began to drive away, but stopped the car when asked.

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Bluebook (online)
People v. Arreguin, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/people-v-arreguin-calctapp-2022.