State Of Washington v. Lonnie D. Martin

CourtCourt of Appeals of Washington
DecidedOctober 13, 2020
Docket52996-3
StatusUnpublished

This text of State Of Washington v. Lonnie D. Martin (State Of Washington v. Lonnie D. Martin) 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. Lonnie D. Martin, (Wash. Ct. App. 2020).

Opinion

Filed Washington State Court of Appeals Division Two

October 13, 2020

IN THE COURT OF APPEALS OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON

DIVISION II STATE OF WASHINGTON, No. 52996-3-II

Respondent,

v.

LONNIE DAVID MARTIN, UNPUBLISHED OPINION

Appellant.

LEE, C.J. — Lonnie David Martin pled guilty to two counts of first degree possession of

depictions of minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct (PDM1) and one count of second degree

possession of depictions of minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct (PDM2). Martin appeals

his conviction for PDM2, arguing that the conviction violates double jeopardy and the trial court

erred by denying his motion to dismiss the PDM2 charge. Martin also filed a statement of

additional grounds (SAG),1 claiming that his offender score was too high because he was a first

time offender, that 36 months of community custody was too long, and that requiring sex offender

registration was excessive because he had no prior record and there were no direct victims.

We affirm.

1 RAP 10.10. No. 52996-3-II

FACTS

On May 24, 2018, the State charged Martin with two counts of PDM1 (counts I and II) and

one count of PDM2 (count III). PDM1and PDM2 are distinguished by the content of the images.

RCW 9.68A.070; RCW 9.68A.011(4). The State did not specify what photographs or videos it

alleged supported each charge in the information, but the State did attach a copy of the certificate

of probable cause which described seven photographs and videos found in Martin’s possession.

Martin pled guilty to all counts as charged. In his statement of defendant on plea of guilty,

Martin stated, “Between Nov. 21 [and] Nov. 27, 2017[,] I possessed three images of nude minors

engaged in sexual conduct with adults in Kitsap County[,] WA.” Clerk’s Papers (CP) at 18. The

trial court accepted Martin’s plea, stating “I am finding that there is a factual basis for the plea. I

am finding that you are entering into the plea knowingly, intelligently, and voluntarily; [and] that

you understand the charges and consequences of the plea,” and found Martin guilty as charged.

Verbatim Report of Proceedings (Oct. 4, 2018) at 7.

After pleading guilty, but before the sentencing hearing, Martin moved to dismiss the

PDM2 conviction. Martin argued that convicting him of PDM1 and PDM2 would violate double

jeopardy based on the unit of prosecution for each offense. 2 In response, the State moved to set

aside Martin’s guilty plea. The trial court denied both motions.

2 The relevant units of prosecution are defined by RCW 9.68A.070. For PDM1, “each depiction or image of visual or printed matter constitutes a separate offense.” RCW 9.68A.070(1)(c). For PDM2, “each incident of possession of one or more depictions or images of visual or printed matter constitutes a separate offense.” RCW 9.68A.070(2)(c).

2 No. 52996-3-II

The trial court issued findings of fact and conclusions of law denying Martin’s motion to

dismiss the PDM2 conviction. The trial court relied on United States v. Broce3 and found that

“[i]n pleading guilty, the defendant admitted the legal consequences of his plea. Namely, that the

second-degree image constituted a separate unit of prosecution from the first-degree images, each

depiction to (sic) which is legislatively defined as a separate unit of prosecution.” CP at 78.

The trial court calculated Martin’s offender score as six. At the sentencing hearing, the

trial court sentenced Martin to 46 months total confinement. The trial court also imposed 36

months of community custody and required Martin to register as a sex offender.

Martin appeals his conviction for PDM2.

ANALYSIS

Martin appeals his conviction for PDM2, arguing that the conviction violates double

jeopardy. Martin also filed a SAG, claiming that his offender score was miscalculated and that the

terms of community custody and sex offender registration were improper. Because Martin’s

PDM2 conviction does not violate double jeopardy and his SAG challenges lack merit, we affirm.

A. DOUBLE JEOPARDY

Martin argues that the trial court erred by denying his motion to dismiss because his

conviction for PDM2 violates double jeopardy. We disagree because Martin pled guilty based on

separate and distinct acts.

3 United States v. Broce, 488 U.S. 563, 109 S. Ct. 757 102 L. Ed. 2d 927 (1989).

3 No. 52996-3-II

1. Legal Principles

Double jeopardy prohibits a person from being “twice put in jeopardy” for the same

offense. U.S. CONST. amend. V; WASH. CONST. art I, § 9. Double jeopardy generally means that

“a person cannot be prosecuted for the same offense after being acquitted, be prosecuted for the

same offense after being convicted, or receive multiple punishments for the same offense.” State

v. Villanueva-Gonzalez, 180 Wn.2d 975, 980, 329 P.3d 78 (2014).

Due process requires that a defendant’s plea must be made knowingly, intelligently, and

voluntarily. State v. Codiga, 162 Wn.2d 912, 922, 175 P.3d 1082 (2008). Before accepting a plea,

the trial court must first determine that the plea is made “‘voluntarily, competently and with an

understanding of the nature of the charge and the consequences of the plea.’” Id.

A court entering multiple convictions for the same offense violates double jeopardy. In re

Pers. Restraint of Francis, 170 Wn.2d 517, 523, 242 P.3d 866 (2010). When a person is charged

with multiple counts of the same offense “‘each count must be based on a separate and distinct

criminal act.’” State v. Robinson, 8 Wn. App. 2d 629, 638, 439 P.3d 710 (2019) (quoting State v.

Mutch, 171 Wn.2d 646, 662, 254 P.3d 803 (2011)). A guilty plea, by its nature, admits factual

guilt and also admits the acts described in the information and the plea’s legal consequence.

Francis, 170 Wn.2d at 522, 530.

In Broce, the United States Supreme Court considered whether the defendant who pled

guilty to two counts of conspiracy could later argue that he only committed one conspiracy. Broce,

488 U.S. at 563. The United States Supreme Court determined that “[a] guilty plea ‘is more than

a confession which admits that the accused did various acts.’” Id. at 570 (quoting Boykin v.

4 No. 52996-3-II

Alabama, 395 U.S. 238, 242, 89 S. Ct. 1709, 23 L. Ed. 2d 274 (1969)). It is an “’admission that

he committed the crime charged against him.’” Id. (quoting North Carolina v. Alford, 400 U.S.

25, 32, 91 S. Ct. 160, 27 L. Ed. 2d 162 (1970))..

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Related

Boykin v. Alabama
395 U.S. 238 (Supreme Court, 1969)
North Carolina v. Alford
400 U.S. 25 (Supreme Court, 1970)
United States v. Broce
488 U.S. 563 (Supreme Court, 1989)
State v. Mutch
254 P.3d 803 (Washington Supreme Court, 2011)
State v. Codiga
175 P.3d 1082 (Washington Supreme Court, 2008)
State Of Washington v. Derwin Robinson
439 P.3d 710 (Court of Appeals of Washington, 2019)
State v. Villanueva-Gonzalez
329 P.3d 78 (Washington Supreme Court, 2014)
State v. Codiga
162 Wash. 2d 912 (Washington Supreme Court, 2008)
In re the Personal Restraint of Francis
170 Wash. 2d 517 (Washington Supreme Court, 2010)

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