State Of Washington v. Clark Tellvick

CourtCourt of Appeals of Washington
DecidedMarch 4, 2014
Docket43818-6
StatusUnpublished

This text of State Of Washington v. Clark Tellvick (State Of Washington v. Clark Tellvick) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Washington primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
State Of Washington v. Clark Tellvick, (Wash. Ct. App. 2014).

Opinion

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IN THE COURT OF APPEALS OF THE STATE OF RUhIMGMA 0F' 8ASH1 3GT0 i DIVISION II E ITY STATE OF WASHINGTON, No. 43818- 6- I

Respondent,

V.

CLARK ALLEN TELLVIK, UNPUBLISHED OPINION

LEE, J. — Clark Allen Tellvik appeals the sentence imposed after he pleaded guilty to

first degree trafficking in stolen property. Tellvik contends that the Clark County prosecuting

attorney breached the plea agreement by failing to argue at sentencing that Tellvik was entitled

to credit for time served while incarcerated in King County on another charge for which he was

sentenced concurrently, and that the trial court erred by failing to credit Tellvik' s sentence with

this additional time. Because the plea agreement offered credit for time served solely on the

Clark County offense and the trial court properly awarded that credit, we _ _ affirm.

FACTS

Tellvik was charged with various offenses in Clark, Yakima, and King counties. In

exchange for his plea of guilty in each case, the prosecutor agreed to recommend concurrent DOSAI

sentences as long as Tellvik was found eligible for such sentences. Tellvik was deemed

DOSA eligible.

1 Drug Offender Sentencing Alternative, RCW 9. 94A. 660. No. 43818 -6 -II

After a King County judge imposed the recommended DOSA sentence following

Tellvik' s plea of guilty to second degree burglary, Tellvik appeared in Clark County and pleaded

guilty to first degree trafficking in stolen property. The plea agreement provided that the State

would recommend a DOSA sentence including 36.75 months of incarceration and 36.75 months

of community custody. The plea agreement added that "[ t] his offer includes credit for time

served in custody solely on this case, up to the date of sentencing." Clerk' s. Papers ( CP) at 17.

At Tellvik' s sentencing in Clark County on July 18, 2012, the defense and the State

disagreed about the amount of credit for time served that Tellvik should receive. The prosecutor

argued that Tellvik was entitled to credit only for the 49 days he was in the Clark County jail in

2010 and 2011 before his arrest in King County, while defense counsel contended that Tellvik

was entitled to credit for some of the time he spent in the King County jail following that arrest.

The parties explained that Tellvik' s King County arrest occurred on July 31, 2011.

Because of that arrest, Tellvik did not make a Clark County court date in August 2011, and Clark

County issued a no -bail warrant on August 30, 2011. After his sentencing in King County on

April 20, 2012, Tellvik was in the custody. of the Department of Corrections '(DOC) until his

transport to Clark County on May 18, 2012.

Defense counsel argued that issuance of the no -bail warrant meant that Tellvik was being

held in King County on the Clark County matter and that he was therefore entitled to presentence

credit from the date of the warrant through the present sentencing date. The prosecutor

responded that Tellvik was not entitled to credit for any time served in the King County jail or in

DOC custody before his return to Clark County, even though the King and Clark County

sentences were to run concurrently. While the negotiating prosecutor apparently had been

2 No. 43818- 6- 11

willing to include credit for the time Tellvik spent in DOC custody before his return to Clark

County, the current prosecutor did not believe that this additional time was allowed under the

law.

The trial court rejected both parties' arguments and awarded Tellvik 137 days for time

served, which included the 49 days he served in Clark County before his King County arrest and

the time he remained in custody after his King County sentencing until his Clark County

sentencing. The court rejected defense counsel' s argument that this result effectively imposed

consecutive sentences and breached the plea agreement.

On appeal, Tellvik argues that the State breached the plea agreement by failing to

recommend the amount of presentence credit it had initially promised and that the trial court 2 miscalculated the amount of presentence credit to which he was entitled.

DISCUSSION

A plea agreement is a contract between the State and the defendant. State v. Sledge, 133

Wn.2d 828; 838 -39, 947 P. 2d 1199 ( 1997). Because plea agreements concern fundamental rights

of the accused, constitutional due process considerations come into play. Sledge, 133 Wn.2d at

839. Consequently, a claim of error based on breach of a plea agreement involves an issue of

constitutional magnitude that may be raised for the first time on appeal. State v. Walsh, 143

Wn.2d 1, 8, 17 P3d 591 ( 2001); see RAP 2. 5( a)( 3) ( providing that " manifest error affecting a

constitutional right" may be raised for first time on appeal).

2 Tellvik has filed a pro se statement of additional grounds ( SAG). However, Tellvik provides only a list of citations supporting appellate counsel' s argument; therefore, we do not address the SAG separately.

3 No. 43818 -6 -II

When a defendant claims constitutional error, the court previews the merits of the claim

to determine whether the argument is likely to succeed. State v. Sanchez, 146 Wn.2d 339, 346,

46 P. 3d 774 ( 2002). The error is considered " manifest" under RAP 2. 5( a)( 3) if the facts

necessary to review the claim are in the record and the defendant shows actual prejudice.

Sanchez, 146 Wn.2d at 346. A defendant asserting a breach of a plea agreement can show actual

prejudice if the trial court did not sentence the defendant in accordance with the plea agreement.

Sanchez, 146 Wn.2d at 346.

The plea agreement in this case explains that the State' s offer " includes credit for time

served in custody solely on this case, up to the date of sentencing." CP at 17. The agreement

does not otherwise specify the amount of credit that the State will recommend. At sentencing, it

became apparent that the parties were disputing how to calculate this offer of credit and that the 3 prosecutor was proposing a calculation different than a previous prosecutor had proposed.

Given the language in the plea agreement, we do not see this dispute as a breach of that

agreement. Instead, we determine whether the trial court properly resolved the offer of credit

and therefore sentenced Tellvik in accordance with the law. See In re Pers. Restraint of

Costello, 131 Wn. App. 828, 833, 129 P. 3d 827 ( 2006) ( sentencing court has no authority to

credit offender for more pretrial detention time than he is entitled to by law).

As stated, Tellvik contends that he is entitled to credit both his King and Clark County

sentences with the time he spent in the King County jail after issuance of the Clark County no-

3 The record does not support Tellvik' s argument on appeal that the initial prosecutor promised him credit for his King County jail time. The record shows instead that the initial Clark County

calculation included the presentence time spent in DOC custody that the trial court ultimately awarded.

M No. 43818 -6 -II

bail warrant on August 30, 2011, until his sentencing in King County on April 20, 2012. Tellvik

contends that the governing statute, RCW 9. 94A.505( 6), does not prohibit a sentencing court

from granting credit for all time served before sentencing when that confinement is served on

concurrent sentences.

RCW 9.

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Related

State v. Watson
822 P.2d 327 (Court of Appeals of Washington, 1992)
State v. Davis
849 P.2d 1283 (Court of Appeals of Washington, 1993)
In Re the Personal Restraint of Phelan
647 P.2d 1026 (Washington Supreme Court, 1982)
State v. Williams
796 P.2d 1301 (Court of Appeals of Washington, 1990)
State v. Stewart
149 P.3d 391 (Court of Appeals of Washington, 2006)
Troy v. Florida
127 S. Ct. 2981 (Supreme Court, 2007)
In Re Costello
129 P.3d 827 (Court of Appeals of Washington, 2006)
State v. Sledge
947 P.2d 1199 (Washington Supreme Court, 1997)
State v. Walsh
17 P.3d 591 (Washington Supreme Court, 2001)
State v. Sanchez
146 Wash. 2d 339 (Washington Supreme Court, 2002)
In re the Personal Restraint of Schillereff
152 P.3d 345 (Washington Supreme Court, 2007)
State v. Barber
170 Wash. 2d 854 (Washington Supreme Court, 2011)
In re the Personal Restraint of Costello
131 Wash. App. 828 (Court of Appeals of Washington, 2006)
State v. Stewart
136 Wash. App. 162 (Court of Appeals of Washington, 2006)

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