People v. Ultreras CA2/6

CourtCalifornia Court of Appeal
DecidedMarch 21, 2022
DocketB310187
StatusUnpublished

This text of People v. Ultreras CA2/6 (People v. Ultreras CA2/6) 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. Ultreras CA2/6, (Cal. Ct. App. 2022).

Opinion

Filed 3/21/22 P. v. Ultreras CA2/6 NOT TO BE PUBLISHED IN THE OFFICIAL REPORTS California Rules of Court, rule 8.1115(a), prohibits courts and parties from citing or relying on opinions not certified for publication or ordered published, except as specified by rule 8.1115(b). This opinion has not been certified for publication or ordered published for purposes of rule 8.1115.

IN THE COURT OF APPEAL OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA

SECOND APPELLATE DISTRICT

DIVISION SIX

THE PEOPLE, 2d Crim. No. B310187 (Super. Ct. No. 2020010153) Plaintiff and Respondent, (Ventura County)

v.

ANTHONY ROBERT ULTRERAS,

Defendant and Appellant.

Anthony Robert Ultreras appeals from the judgment after the jury convicted him of molesting a child under the age of 18 (count 1, Pen. Code, § 647.6, subd. (a)(1))1 and committing a lewd act on a child under the age of 14 (count 3, § 288, subd. (a)). He pled guilty to possession of child pornography with prior convictions (count 2, § 311.11, subd. (b)). He admitted that he suffered a prior conviction of section 288, subdivision (a), as a prior strike (§§ 667, subds. (c)(1), (e)(1), 1170.12, subd. (c)(1)) and

1 Undesignated statutory references are to the Penal Code. as a sentence enhancement (§§ 647.6, subd. (c)(2), 667, subd. (a)(1), 667.61, subd. (d)(1), 1170, subd. (h)(3), 1170.12, subd. (a)(1)). The trial court sentenced him to 50 years to life in prison plus a determinate term of 14 years eight months. Ultreras contends: (1) the lewd conduct conviction is not supported by substantial evidence, (2) the trial court abused its discretion when it did not dismiss the prior strike, (3) the sentence constitutes cruel and unusual punishment, (4) Senate Bill No. 567 mandates resentencing, and (5) Senate Bill No. 81 applies at resentencing. We remand for resentencing in compliance with Senate Bills Nos. 567 and 81. In all other respects, we affirm the judgment. FACTUAL AND PROCEDURAL HISTORY The bus incident (count 1) In March 2020, I.M. was 13 years old. Shortly after she boarded a city bus to return home from middle school, Ultreras moved from another seat and sat next to her. She did not know him. He sat so close that their bodies were touching. Ultreras was 39 years old. Ultreras introduced himself and shook her hand. He told her she had “gorgeous eyes.” He asked if she “was into boys or girls” and if she shaved her pubic hair. He talked about performing oral sex on her. He said he wanted to take her to a hotel and “spoil” her, and said he wanted her “to rape him.” He set a date to meet her at a hotel. I.M. felt “[v]ery uncomfortable” during the conversation. When she got off the bus, Ultreras ran after her. He walked alongside her during the seven to eight minute walk to her house. He continued to talk about going to a hotel.

2 Incident at victim’s house (count 3) When they arrived at I.M.’s house, Ultreras told her to hold out her hands. He firmly gripped her hands and asked her twice if he could kiss her. He called her “baby” and looked at her body “up and down.” He said he was excited to meet her at a hotel. Several times he slid his hands under the sleeves of her sweater and touched the bare skin of her wrists. The incident lasted about a minute. It was difficult for I.M. to free herself from his grip but she eventually did so. She walked up the stairs to her house and banged on the door until she was let in. Child pornography (count 2) Police seized Ultreras’s cell phone and examined memory cards installed in it. They contained approximately 51 images of children, some as young as nine to 12, including images of nude children with their breasts, vaginas, and/or anuses exposed, and cartoon images of adults having intercourse with children. The jury heard testimony regarding this offense and was informed that Ultreras pled guilty to it. (§ 311.11, subd. (b).) Prior convictions The jury heard evidence regarding two of Ultreras’s prior convictions: In 2011, Ultreras put his hand under the underwear of his 10-year-old daughter and touched her vagina. He asked her to kiss his cheek. In 2017, Ultreras tapped the shoulder of a 12-year-old girl he did not know in a laundromat. He handed her a note that said she was “really pretty,” contained his telephone number, and asked her to call him. For the first incident, Ultreras was convicted in 2012 of lewd act on a child (§ 288, subd. (a)). He was placed on probation but after violating it was sentenced to three years in

3 prison. For the second incident, he was convicted of child molestation (§ 647.6, subd. (a)) and was sentenced to four years in prison. In addition, the probation report described a 2004 conviction for child molestation (§ 647.6, subd. (a)). In that case, Ultreras “tongue kissed” a 13-year-old girl and “began to ‘grind’ his ‘private’ area” against her. He was placed on 36 months’ probation with terms including 60 days in jail. Sentencing I.M. submitted a victim impact statement. She stated that the case was “painful,” affected her “in a very negative way,” made her distrust adults, and made her afraid when she went outside. As a result, she walked with others or was driven when she left the house. Although she continued to cry about the event, she did not require counseling or therapy. The trial court granted the motion to strike the five-year enhancement for the serious felony prior conviction. (§§ 667, subd. (a)(1), 1385.) The court denied the motion to dismiss the prior strike. (§§ 667, subds. (c)(1), (e)(1), 1170.12, subd. (c)(1).) The trial court ruled: “[T]he Romero[2] Motion is denied. [¶] The Court will find that the defendant’s conduct and criminal record fall within the spirit of the three-strikes law. As evidenced by the defendant’s criminal history, he appears to be a sexual predator. His convictions, in terms of sexual offenses, . . . began in 2004.” For count 1, the court imposed the upper term of six years, doubled to 12 years for the prior strike. (§§ 647.6, subd. (c)(2), 667, subd. (e)(1), 1170.12, subd. (c)(1).) For count 2, the

2 People v. Superior Court (Romero) (1996) 13 Cal.4th 497 (Romero).

4 court imposed one-third of the mid-term of four years, doubled to two years eight months for the prior strike, to run consecutive to count 1. (§§ 311.11, subd. (b), 667, subd. (e)(1), 1170.1, subd. (a), 1170.12, subd. (c)(1).) The total determinate sentence was 14 years eight months. For count 3, the court imposed a sentence of 25 years to life, doubled for the prior strike to 50 years to life. (§§ 288, subd. (a), 667.61, subds. (a), (c)(8), (d)(1), 667, subd. (c)(1), 1170.12, subd. (c)(1).) DISCUSSION Sufficiency of the evidence Ultreras contends the evidence was not sufficient to convict him of count 3 (§ 288, subd. (a)). We disagree. “When a defendant challenges the sufficiency of the evidence, ‘“[t]he court 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.” [Citation.]’ [Citations.] ‘Substantial evidence includes circumstantial evidence and any reasonable inferences drawn from that evidence. [Citation.]’ [Citation.] We ‘“‘presume in support of the judgment the existence of every fact the trier could reasonably deduce from the evidence.’” [Citation.]’ [Citation.]” (People v. Clark (2011) 52 Cal.4th 856, 942-943.) The substantial evidence test also applies to the intent element of the crime. (Id. at pp. 945-946.) Section 288, subdivision (a), imposes liability on any person “who willfully and lewdly commits any lewd or lascivious act . . . upon or with the body, or any part or member thereof, of a child who is under the age of 14 years, with the intent of

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Bluebook (online)
People v. Ultreras CA2/6, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/people-v-ultreras-ca26-calctapp-2022.