State of Washington v. Jason Lee Borseth aka Jason Lee Fishel

CourtCourt of Appeals of Washington
DecidedMay 5, 2020
Docket36230-2
StatusUnpublished

This text of State of Washington v. Jason Lee Borseth aka Jason Lee Fishel (State of Washington v. Jason Lee Borseth aka Jason Lee Fishel) 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.

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State of Washington v. Jason Lee Borseth aka Jason Lee Fishel, (Wash. Ct. App. 2020).

Opinion

FILED May 5, 2020 In the Office of the Clerk of Court WA State Court of Appeals, Division III

IN THE COURT OF APPEALS OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON DIVISION THREE

STATE OF WASHINGTON, ) ) No. 36230-2-III Respondent, ) ) v. ) ) UNPUBLISHED OPINION JASON LEE BORSETH, a/k/a JASON ) LEE FISHEL, ) ) Appellant. )

SIDDOWAY, J. — Jason Borseth responded to an advertisement for sexual conduct

with a minor placed by officers engaged in a “Net Nanny” sting operation, and was

convicted of attempted first degree rape of a child, attempted commercial sexual abuse of

a minor, and possession of a controlled substance. He challenges the legality of the Net

Nanny operation, the sufficiency of evidence for the attempted commercial sexual abuse

charge, ineffective assistance of counsel, prosecutorial misconduct, and sentencing error. No. 36230-2-III State v. Borseth a/k/a Fishel

The State concedes that a sentencing enhancement and criminal filing fee should not have

been imposed. We accept the State’s concessions and otherwise affirm. We remand with

directions to strike the sentencing enhancement and criminal filing fee.

FACTS AND PROCEDURAL BACKGROUND

Jason Borseth answered an advertisement on the Spokane Craigslist “casual

encounters” page placed by undercover police officers, who posed as a mother offering

sexual conduct with her minor children. Law enforcement recorded Mr. Borseth’s

e-mails, text messages, and phone calls with officers who posed as “Jay,” the fictional

mother of three children, including a fictional 11 year old named “Anna.”

After officers engaged Mr. Borseth in enough distasteful discussion about what he

might do with Anna to make a case against him, including getting his assurances that he

would bring condoms, cash, and methamphetamine, Jay gave him an address for her

fictitious home. When he arrived, Mr. Borseth was arrested.

Mr. Borseth was read Miranda1 warnings and agreed to be interviewed.

Throughout an almost two-hour interview, he repeatedly denied that he was there to have

sex with Anna, insisting he was only interested in Jay. He would later testify that he gave

police permission “to look through my car, my phone, my tablet, all my Internet history.

I gave them my passwords. I gave them everything to look forward to see if there’s

1 Miranda v. Arizona, 384 U.S. 436, 86 S. Ct. 1602, 16 L. Ed. 2d 694 (1966).

2 No. 36230-2-III State v. Borseth a/k/a Fishel

anything about children in any of my e-mails or anything, any of my computer history.”

Report of Proceedings (RP)2 at 636. He told the officers interviewing him that he had

used Craigslist before and had made Craigslist posts seeking men. He said he was

“curious about guys” although so far he had not “done nothing.” Ex. P12 at 139.

Mr. Borseth was charged with attempted first degree rape of a child, attempted

commercial sexual abuse of a minor, and possession of a controlled substance

(methamphetamine).

In discussion of motions in limine before trial, the prosecutor told the court that

the State anticipated presenting evidence that Mr. Borseth had previously arranged sex

online and posted his interest in sex with men, as disclosed in the interview following his

arrest. Defense counsel responded, “We can kind of shorten this down. We’re not going

to be seeking to suppress the fact that Mr. Borseth has used Craigslist for other liaisons.

We don’t have any objection to that.” RP at 92. Asked by the prosecutor if he was

referring to Mr. Borseth’s confession, defense counsel answered, “Correct.” Id.

During the four-day jury trial, the State called as witnesses eight law enforcement

officers and a forensic expert from the Washington State Patrol Crime Laboratory, to

testify that the controlled substance found in Mr. Borseth’s possession was

methamphetamine. In the defense case, Mr. Borseth testified on his own behalf.

2 All references are to the report of trial proceedings taking place in April 2018.

3 No. 36230-2-III State v. Borseth a/k/a Fishel

Mr. Borseth testified that he was only interested in Jay and expressed that interest

many times in their communications. He testified that when he realized Jay was offering

sex with her children, he did not stop the conversation because he wanted to “buy them

some food or whatever, talk to her about what she’s trying to do, tell her it ain’t the right

way to make money.” RP at 655. He claimed he offered methamphetamine to her

because she could sell it to make money. Mr. Borseth agreed to the terms Jay set out to

have sex with Anna because he was trying to “get in the door” with Jay. RP at 680.

During cross-examination, the prosecutor asked Mr. Borseth about his experience

posting ads on Craigslist, asking whether they included offers to perform different sexual

acts with men. Mr. Borseth disavowed offering anything, stating “I was just curious, and

I didn’t do nothing with nobody.” RP at 716.

During closing argument the prosecutor attacked Mr. Borseth’s credibility, telling

jurors that the only time Mr. Borseth told the truth during his testimony was when he was

going through the text messages, the phone call, and the e-mails. When the defense

objected, the judge reminded the jury that the attorneys’ statements were not evidence.

Defense counsel argued to jurors that Mr. Borseth was only interested in Jay. He

urged them to consider that when interviewed by police, Mr. Borseth admitted that he had

methamphetamine and revealed that he was curious about same-sex activities, but

throughout what was a two-hour interrogation he never conceded interest in Anna.

4 No. 36230-2-III State v. Borseth a/k/a Fishel

The jury found Mr. Borseth guilty as charged. At sentencing, the court rejected

the defense argument that his three crimes were the same criminal conduct. Noting that

Mr. Borseth had no prior felonies, the trial court imposed a low end sentence. It imposed

a one-year sentence enhancement to the rape count provided by RCW 9.94A.533(9)

because it involved sexual conduct with a child for a fee. The court ordered Mr. Borseth

to pay legal financial obligations that included a $200 criminal filing fee and a $1,650

assessment for commercial sexual abuse.

Mr. Borseth appeals.

ANALYSIS

I. RELIANCE ON TEXT MESSAGES AND E-MAILS IN THE NET NANNY OPERATION DID NOT VIOLATE THE “PRIVACY ACT.” MR. BORSETH’S ALTERNATIVE ARGUMENTS THAT (1) HIS TRIAL LAWYER PROVIDED INEFFECTIVE ASSISTANCE OF COUNSEL AND (2) THE VIOLATION CONSTITUTED OUTRAGEOUS GOVERNMENT MISCONDUCT FAIL

Mr. Borseth identifies provisions of the Privacy Act that permit law enforcement

recording of conversations with one-party consent and persuasively argues that the

officers did not comply with those provisions in connection with the e-mail and text

communications. The problem with his argument is that with e-mails and text messages

(unlike telephone conversations) the government had no need to rely on the one-party

consent provisions. Like other users of e-mail and text messaging, Mr. Borseth impliedly

consented to the recording of his e-mail and text communications.

5 No. 36230-2-III State v. Borseth a/k/a Fishel

A violation of the Privacy Act requires “(1) a private communication transmitted

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