People v. Jimenez

CourtCalifornia Court of Appeal
DecidedJanuary 12, 2026
DocketF087827M
StatusPublished

This text of People v. Jimenez (People v. Jimenez) 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. Jimenez, (Cal. Ct. App. 2026).

Opinion

Filed 1/12/26 (unmodified opinion attached)

CERTIFIED FOR PUBLICATION

IN THE COURT OF APPEAL OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA

FIFTH APPELLATE DISTRICT

THE PEOPLE, F087827 Plaintiff and Respondent, (Super. Ct. No. CRF73430) v. ORDER MODIFYING OPINION ADAM RAFAEL JIMENEZ, [NO CHANGE IN JUDGMENT]

Defendant and Appellant.

THE COURT:

Pursuant to California Rules of Court, rule 8.264(c), it is ordered that the partially published opinion filed herein on December 29, 2025, be modified in the following particulars:

1. The sentence commencing at the bottom of page 10 with “The jury” and ending at the top of page 11 with “someone else,” the word “CACI” is changed to “CALCRIM” so the sentence reads: The jury here was provided with a definition of malice as approved in CALCRIM No. 2900, which defines “maliciously” as “when he or she intentionally does a wrongful act or when he or she acts with the unlawful intent to annoy or injure someone else.”

There is no change in the judgment.

PEÑA, J. WE CONCUR:

LEVY, Acting P. J.

MEEHAN, J. Filed 12/29/25 (unmodified opinion)

CERTIFIED FOR PARTIAL PUBLICATION *

THE PEOPLE, F087827 Plaintiff and Respondent, (Super. Ct. No. CRF73430) v.

ADAM RAFAEL JIMENEZ, OPINION Defendant and Appellant.

APPEAL from a judgment of the Superior Court of Tuolumne County. Laura Leslie Krieg, Judge. Larenda R. Delaini, under appointment by the Court of Appeal, for Defendant and Appellant. Rob Bonta, Attorney General, Charles C. Ragland and Lance E. Winters, Chief Assistant Attorneys General, Kimberley A. Donohue, Assistant Attorney General, Amanda D. Cary, Eric L. Christoffersen, Ian Whitney, and Jesica Gonzalez, Deputy Attorneys General, for Plaintiff and Respondent. -ooOoo-

* Pursuant to California Rules of Court, rules 8.1105(b) and 8.1110, this opinion is certified for publication with the exception of part III. of the Discussion. Defendant Adam Rafael Jimenez was found guilty by a jury of vandalism and damaging jail property. He appeals, asserting that given the amount of damage to the jail, neither the felony vandalism conviction nor the victim restitution order is supported by substantial evidence. In supplemental briefing, defendant also contends the felony vandalism conviction must be reversed because a more specific statute prohibits his conduct. The People dispute defendant’s first two contentions but concede error on the issue identified in supplemental briefing. We find substantial evidence supported the amount of damage for purposes of the felony vandalism conviction. Despite this, we reverse defendant’s felony vandalism conviction, reverse the victim restitution order, and remand for a full resentencing and a new restitution hearing. PROCEDURAL HISTORY On December 1, 2023, the Tuolumne County District Attorney filed an information charging defendant with vandalism in an amount over $400 (Pen. Code, § 594, subd. (a); count 1); and damaging a prison or jail (§ 4600, subd. (a); count 2). (Undesignated statutory references are to the Penal Code.) The information also alleged defendant had suffered one prior strike conviction (§§ 667, subds. (b)‒(j), 1170.12), was statutorily ineligible for probation (§ 1203, subd. (e)(4)), and had multiple aggravating sentencing factors (Cal. Rules of Court, rule 4.421). On January 24, 2024, the jury found defendant guilty of both charges and found the amount of damage was over $400. On February 26, 2024, the trial court sentenced defendant to six years (the upper term of three years doubled due to the prior strike conviction) on count 1. The court also sentenced defendant to six months on count 2 but stayed this sentence pursuant to section 654. The court ordered victim restitution in the amount of $1,980.83. Defendant filed a timely notice of appeal on March 28, 2024.

2. FACTUAL SUMMARY On November 9, 2023, defendant was being held in a cell, alone, at the Tuolumne County jail. A deputy sheriff saw defendant pacing back and forth and noted he appeared angry and irritated. Defendant then hit the cell window with a long broom handle, causing the window to crack from top to bottom; he surrendered the object upon request. Given the extensive damage, the window needed to be replaced. A staff services analyst for the Tuolumne County facilities department testified the actual cost to purchase the window was $245.47, and the cost to install was $161.97, totaling $407.44. Following the prosecutor’s presentation of evidence at trial, defense counsel moved for a judgment of acquittal of the felony vandalism charge, contending defendant caused less than $400 in damage because the installation costs should not be included in the damages calculations. The trial court denied the motion, finding substantial evidence supported the damage was over $400 because of the combined purchase and installation costs. Defendant was found guilty on both counts. At sentencing, the prosecutor pointed out the probation report incorrectly listed the damage to the jail on count 2 as a felony and incorrectly assessed the damages as exceeding $950. She argued it should be listed as a misdemeanor because the evidence did not show the damage exceeded this amount, and the People did not proceed on such a theory. The court agreed and amended the probation report to reflect that count 2 was a misdemeanor. Defense counsel then argued a sentence of six years was unreasonable given the damages were just over $400. The court noted the sentence was based on aggravating factors: defendant’s increasingly serious prior convictions and prior strike. Then, and without objection, the court ordered defendant pay $1,980.83 in victim restitution to the county. The probation report recommended this amount based on an estimate to replace the window provided by the Tuolumne County Sheriff’s Office; the report noted the amount “may not reflect testimony and evidence presented during [t]rial.”

3. DISCUSSION I. Substantial evidence supports the damages determination under section 594. Defendant first argues there was insufficient evidence to support his felony vandalism conviction because he did not cause $400 or more in damage to the cell window. Even though we reverse defendant’s felony vandalism conviction because he could only be tried on the section 4600 charge (see part II., post), we address this first point in order to clearly rule on defendant’s argument raised in his supplemental brief. A. Standard of Review In considering a challenge to the sufficiency of the evidence, we “ ‘ “ ‘must review the whole record in the light most favorable to the judgment below to determine whether it discloses substantial evidence—that is, evidence which is reasonable, credible, and of solid value—such that a reasonable trier of fact could find the defendant guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.’ ” ’ ” (People v. Brooks (2017) 3 Cal.5th 1, 57.) We presume “ ‘ “the existence of every fact the [jury] could reasonably deduce from the evidence.” ’ ” (People v. Lee (2011) 51 Cal.4th 620, 632.) “A reversal for insufficient evidence ‘is unwarranted unless it appears “that upon no hypothesis whatever is there sufficient substantial evidence to support” ’ the jury’s verdict.” (People v. Zamudio (2008) 43 Cal.4th 327, 357.) The appellant carries the burden of establishing that the evidence was insufficient to sustain a conviction. (People v. Sanghera (2006) 139 Cal.App.4th 1567, 1574.) B. Analysis Section 594, subdivision (a), provides: “[e]very person who maliciously [defaces with graffiti or other inscribed material, damages, or destroys] any real or personal property not his or her own . . . is guilty of vandalism.” (See In re Leanna W. (2004) 120 Cal.App.4th 735, 743 [“To commit vandalism . . .

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Bluebook (online)
People v. Jimenez, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/people-v-jimenez-calctapp-2026.