State of Maine v. Sanborn

• Court: Superior Court of Maine
• Decided: January 28, 2019
• Docket: CUMcr-07-2091
• Status: Unpublished

Opinion

STATE OF MAINE UNIFIED CRIMINAL DOCKET CUMBERLAND, ss No. CR-07-2091

STATE OF MAINE

v. ORDER

BRUCE SANBORN,

Defendant

Before the court is the issue of whether defendant Bruce Sanborn's probation has been

tolled, which would allow the State to pursue motions to revoke Sanborn's probation. A hearing

was held on November 15, 2018.

This case turns in part on the Interstate Compact for Adult Offender Supervision

("Interstate Compact" or "ICAOS"), which governs the interstate transfer of persons who are on

probation or parole. 34-A M.R.S. §§ 9871-9888. The actual procedures governing interstate

transfer of probationers and parolees are not set forth in the Interstate Compact itself but are set

forth in regulations issued to implement the Compact. See 34-A M.R.S. § 9877(1). 1

On January 22, 2008 Sanborn entered guilty pleas in Cumberland County docket no. CR­

07-2091 to charges of Class C Assault and Class C Terrorizing. These were felony charges because

The current version of those regulations is available on the internet, (https ://www. interstatecom pact. org/sites/default/files/pdf/legal/I CAOS-2018-Rules-ENG. pdf), but those regulations have been amended since 2009. However, through the efforts of the Cleaves Law Librarian using a "wayback" search on archive.org, the court believes it has located the regulations that were in effect in 2009, which is the relevant time period in this case. A copy of those regulations has been placed in the file. Sanborn had two prior assault convictions in New Hampshire within the preceding 10 years.

Sanborn received a sentence of four years, all but six months suspended, with three years of

probation, concurrent on both counts.

Sanborn was released in February 2008, and his probation was thereafter transferred to

New Hampshire pursuant to the Interstate Compact.

The next event in this case was a November 12, 2009 motion signed by Probation Officer

David Edwards to revoke Sanborn's probation based on (1) charges of assault, resisting arrest, and

disorderly conduct that had allegedly occurred in New Hampshire on September 23, 2009, (2)

alleged failures to attend a certified batterers program, and (3) an alleged failure to report to his

New Hampshire probation officer. 2 This motion was based in part on an October 20, 2009 Offender

Violation Report that had been sent to Maine by New Hampshire pursuant to the Interstate

Compact. See Defendant's Ex. 1 at pp. 6-7. Edwards's motion also included details, presumably

obtained from New Hampshire authorities, that went beyond the information contained in the New

Hampshire violation report.

In his cover memorandum to the November 12, 2009 motion, Edwards informed the clerk's

office that Sanborn was in the Belknap N.H. County Jail and that New Hampshire authorities were

reques~ing that Sanborn be returned to Maine to face probation revocation in Maine. See

Defendant's Ex. 1 at p.1.

In filing the Maine probation motion, Edwards sought a warrant, stating that he could not

locate Sanborn "for the purposes of arrest or summons." See Defendant's Ex. 1 at p. 9. A warrant

was duly issued, but in part because Edwards had not specified that he was seeking extradition

2 Although dated November 12, 2009, the motion was filed on November 23, 2009.

2 from New Hampshire, the warrant was a "Maine only" warrant. 3 As a result, it was not filed as a

detainer against Sanborn in New Hampshire, and there is no evidence that Sanborn was made

aware that Maine had filed the November 12, 2009 probation motion.

At some point Sanborn was released from the Belknap County Jail on the 2009 New

Hampshire charges. The record does not reflect how those charges were resolved. Sanborn

remained in New Hampshire. Although Maine's November 12, 2009 probation revocation motion

remained pending, there was no action on that motion because of the "Maine only" warrant. 4

In 2014 and again in 2015 Sanborn was convicted in New Hampshire on felony drug

possession charges. On the 2014 charges he received a sentence of not more than 3 years and not

less than 1 year. On the 2015 charges he received a sentence - consecutive to his 2014 sentence ­

of not more than 5 years and not less than 1 year.

At some point, according to the testimony at the November 15, 2018 hearing, New

Hampshire sent a case closure notice to Maine under the Interstate Compact. That notice was

apparently sent because Sanborn had been sentenced in New Hampshire to more than 180 days,

which was a basis for a case closure notice under ICAOS Rule 4.112(a)(3) (June 2009). 5 As far as

the record reflects, Maine took no action in response to the case closure notice. Most likely, this

3 See the fifth page of Defendant's Ex. 1, which is a form submitted by Probation when warrants are requested. Near the bottom ofthe form is an area marked "Extradition Detail" with four categories that can be circled: "Maine," "New England," "Nationwide," or "Other." No categories were circled on Edwards's request. The clerk's office could and perhaps should have requested clarification from Edwards, but did not do so, instead issuing a "Maine only" warrant.

4 In addition, although New Hampshire had previously requested that Sanborn be returned to Maine for

proceedings on his Maine probation, New Hampshire does not appear to have made any further effort to pursue that request.

5 That rule remains unchanged in the current regulations.

3 was because no one realized that Maine had not issued a warrant that would have the effect of a

detainer in New Hampshire;

Sanborn served his New Hampshire sentences and was released on parole in New

Hampshire in 2016.

In July of 2018 Maine Probation Officer Catherine Fisher was reassigned Sanborn's file,

saw that no action had been taken on the November 12, 2009 motion, learned that Sanborn was on

parole in New Hampshire, and realized that the "Maine only" warrant was deficient.

On July 18, 2018 Fisher requested that the warrant on the November 12, 2009 probation

motion be reissued to include extradition from New Hampshire. The file reflects that Sanborn was

then detained in New Hampshire and was bailed on condition that he "make contact with

appropriate Maine authorities." After speaking with Probation Officer Fisher, Sanborn's N.H.

parole officer instructed Sanborn to report in Maine on July 27, 2018. Sanborn did not do so.

On July 27, 2018 Probation Officer Fisher filed a second motion to revoke Sanborn's

probation, based on the two New Hampshire drug possession convictions and his failure to report

on July 27. That resulted in Sanborn's appearance in Maine, which in turn led to a motion by

Sanborn seeking to dismiss the probation revocation proceeding. In that motion Sanborn contends

that his probation had expired because Maine had waited too long and had not followed the

applicable rules under the Interstate Compact. In the meantime Sanborn has been released on bail

to reside in New Hampshire.

Discussion

Typically, the filing of a motion to revoke probation tolls the period of probation unless

the motion is withdrawn or unless no violation of probation is ultimately found. See 17-A M.R.S.

4 § 1206(7-C). The issue before the court is whether the November 12, 2009 revocation motion

tolled Sanborn's probation. If it did not, Sanborn's probation would have expired sometime in

2011, and he would not be subject to revocation proceedings in Maine, either on the November

2009 motion or on the subsequent July 2018 motion.

Sanborn's argument that his probation was not tolled is based on Maine's delay in pursuing

the case and on Maine's alleged failure to follow ICAOS regulations.

The applicable regulations as in effect in November 2009 provided that the "receiving

state" (in this case, New Hampshire) shall notify the sending state (Maine) of "significant

violations of conditions of supervision" by sending a violation report. ICAOS Rule 4.109(a), (b)

(June 2009). The sending state shall respond within 10 days, including in its response the action to

be taken. ICAOS Rule 4.109(c) (June 2009).

In this case New Hampshire sent Maine an Offender Violation Report dated October 20,

2009. Defendant's Ex. 1 pp. 6-8. There is nothing in the record to indicate whether Maine

responded to New Hampshire within 10 days, although a response could have been transmitted

electronically. In any event, Probation Officer Edwards eventually responded by filing the

November 12, 2009 motion to revoke.

Current ICAOS Rule 4.109(a) indicates that offender violation reports shall be sent based

on behavior "requiring retaking" by the sending state. In 2009, however, the rule referred only to

the sending of reports in the case of "significant violations" and did not specify that retaking was

"required. "6 However, Edwards had stated in his transmittal memorandum to the clerk's office that

6 Under the current regulations retaking is mandatory for felony convictions, for convictions for violent crimes, or in instances where the receiving state determines that the offender's behavior requires retaking. Current ICAOS Rules 5.102, 5 .103. In 2009 retaking was mandatory for felony convictions and for a showing of "three or more significant violations arising from separate incidents that establish a pattern of non-compliance with conditions of supervision." ICAOS Rules 5.102, 5.103 (June 2009). Under the 2009 rules, retaking would not have been mandatory based on the facts reported in New Hampshire's October

5 "New Hampshire authorities are requesting that the subject be returned to Maine to face probation

revocation here." Retaking by Maine was therefore contemplated in this case, but that did not

happen because of the "Maine only" warrant.

The defense argues that Probation Officer Edwards misled the court when in seeking a

warrant, he stated that he could not locate Sanborn "for the purposes of arrest or summons." The

court disagrees. First, in the same packet of documents Edwards informed the clerk's office that

Sanborn was in the Belknap N.H. County Jail. Second, as a Maine probation officer Edwards did

not have authority to act in New Hampshire and could not have arrested or summonsed Sanborn

in New Hampshire. The wording that a probationer cannot be located "for the purposes of arrest

or summons" - which is standard language on requests for probation violation warrants - applies

to a probationer who has left the state as well as to a probationer whose whereabouts is unknown.

Nevertheless, it is evident that Maine seriously dropped the ball when it failed to pursue

the November 12, 2009 probation motion with a warrant applicable in New Hampshire. This is

particularly true because of the significant length of time - almost nine years - between the filing

of the November 2009 motion and the first time that an adequate warrant was issued.

The next question is whether Maine violated the ICAOS Regulations and if so, whether

that would prevent the tolling of Sanborn's probation.

Retaking based on New Hampshire's October 20, 2009 violation report would not have

been mandatory, but the 2009 Rules contain a provision that a sending state "shall retake an

offender within 30 calendar days after the decision to retake has been made or upon release of the

offender from incarceration in the receiving state." ICAOS Rule 5.105 (June 2009). Interpreted

literally, this rule required Maine to retake Sanborn when he was released from the Belknap County

20, 2009 Offender Violation Report, which did not report either a felony conviction or three or more significant violations arising from separate incidents.

6 jail after resolution of the New Hampshire charges set forth in New Hampshire's October 20, 2009

Offender Violation Report. Maine did not comply with this regulation. 7

However, nothing in the Interstate Compact regulations specifies what follows when the

regulations are violated. On one hand, 34-A M.R.S. § 9884(2) states that the rules adopted by the

Interstate Commission "are binding upon the compacting states." On the other hand, there is

federal precedent that the Interstate Compact and its regulations are designed to govern the

relationships of the contracting states and are not a source of rights for probationers or parolees.

MF. v. New York Executive Department Division ofParole, 640 F.3d 491, 495-96 (2d Cir. 2011);

Doe v. Pennsylvania Board ofProbation and Parole, 513 F.3d 95, 104 (3d Cir. 2008). The court

finds the federal decisions to be persuasive on this issue.

The court therefore does not find that non-compliance by Maine with the Interstate

Compact regulations relieves Sanborn of his probation in this case.

It is perhaps a closer question whether the failure of Maine to pursue the November 12,

2009 revocation motion, either with an adequate warrant or otherwise, for almost nine years would

constitute the kind of gross negligence or waiver ofjurisdiction which would give rise to a finding

that subjecting Sanborn to continued probation in Maine would constitute a violation of substantive

due process. Compare Shields v. Beto, 370 F.2d 1003 (5th Cir. 1967) (where defendant was

extradited to Louisiana before his Texas sentence was completed, where he served Louisiana

sentence and was released on parole, and where Texas then waited 18 years before seeking to

compel defendant to serve the remainder of his Texas sentence, granting Texas request would be

7 ICAOS Rule 5.105 was amended in 2014 to provide that a sending state "shall retake an offender within

30 calendar days after the offender has been taken into custody on the sending state's warrant and the offender is being held solely on the sending state's warrant" (emphasis added). If this rule had been in effect in 2009, there would have been no violation because Sanborn had not been taken into custody on Maine's warrant.

7 inconsistent with fundamental principles ofjustice) with Mathes v. Pierpont, 725 F.2d 77 (8th Cir.

1984) (after Oklahoma released detainer for unexplained reasons, seven year delay in seeking to

have defendant serve remainder of his sentence did not give rise to substantive due process

violation).

The U.S. Supreme Court has never adopted the waiver of jurisdiction theory employed by

the Fifth Circuit in Shields v. Beto. In addition, as the Fourth Circuit noted in Hawkins v. Freeman,

195 F.3d 732, 743-45 (6th Cir. 1999), a waiver ofjurisdiction theory based on gross negligence is

inconsistent with the Supreme Court's rulings that a substantive due process violation requires

arbitrary and oppressive conduct which is so egregious that it "shocks the conscience." See County

ofSacramento v. Lewis, 523 U.S. 833, 846-47 (1998); Collins v. City ofHarker Heights, 503 U.S.

115, 126 (1992). No such finding can be made in this case. 8

At a minimum, however, under the specific facts in this case - where Maine failed to pursue

its November 12, 2009 motion for almost nine years, where in the meantime Sanborn served his

sentences for the offenses he committed in New Hampshire and was released on parole, and where

as part of his supervision on parole Sanborn has since engaged in treatment for substance abuse

and obtained a job 9 - it would make no sense to subject Sanborn to a potential revocation for

offenses that occurred in 2009, 2014, and 2015.

8 The 6th Amendment's speedy trial provision does not apply to probation revocation proceedings. United

States v. Tippens, 39 F.3d 88, 89 (5th Cir. 1994). See Carchman v. Nash, 473 U.S. 716, 731 n.10 (1985). However, the considerations underlying that provision are relevant here.

9 See August 7, 2018 letter of Elsa Johnson, LCMHC, annexed to defendant's August 23, 2018 motion to dismiss. The court understands that both Sanborn's NH parole officer and his Maine probation officer have reservations about his current performance. Those reservations have not, however, been significant enough to lead to any parole revocation proceedings in New Hampshire.

8 Indeed, to revoke any portion of Sanborn's probation at this time would violate the spirit

if not the letter of 17-A M.R.S. § 1256(8), which precludes a court from imposing a sentence that

would result in a defendant being returned to custody after being released from confinement on

probation.

Sanborn lives in New Hampshire, and he is under supervision in New Hampshire. It is not

clear whether his continued Maine probation serves any purpose. Accordingly, while defendant's

motion to dismiss the pending probation motions is denied, a further hearing should be held to

determine whether, if there are admissions or findings of violations, no further sanction should be

ordered and also to consider whether Sanborn's Maine probation should be terminated pursuant to

17-A M.R.S. § 1202(3). 10

Dated: January 2.S'; 2019

Thomas D. Warren Justice, Superior Court

10 It bears emphasis that ifthere were to be a hearing on the November 12, 2009 motion and if- because of

the passage of time or otherwise - the State were unable to prove the violations alleged in that motion, Sanborn's probation would not be tolled pursuant to 17-A M.R.S. § 1206(7-C) and would therefore have expired in 2011, seven years prior to the filing of the second Maine probation revocation motion on July 27, 2018.