State v. Aguirre

2012 Ohio 2014
Ohio Court of Appeals·Decided May 7, 2012·No. 13-11-19, 13-11-20·Published·Cited by 3 cases

Opinion

IN THE COURT OF APPEALS OF OHIO THIRD APPELLATE DISTRICT

SENECA COUNTY

STATE OF OHIO, PLAINTIFF-APPELLEE, CASE NO. 13-11-19 v.

JAMIE AGUIRRE, OPINION DEFENDANT-APPELLANT.

STATE OF OHIO, PLAINTIFF-APPELLEE, CASE NO. 13-11-20 v.

JAMIE AGUIRRE, OPINION DEFENDANT-APPELLANT.

Appeals from Seneca County Common Pleas Court Trial Court Nos. 2010 CR 0015 and 10-CR-0037

Judgment Affirmed in Case No. 13-11-19

Judgment Affirmed in Part, Reversed on Part and Cause Remanded in Case No. 13-11-20

Date of Decision: May 7, 2012

APPEARANCES:

Lisa A. Miller for Appellant Derek W. DeVine for Appellee

WILLAMOWSKI, J.

{¶1} Defendant-appellant Jamie Aguirre (“Aguirre”) brings this appeal from the judgment of the Court of Common Pleas of Seneca County. Aguirre claims that the trial court erred by 1) denying his motion to suppress; 2) denying his motion for acquittal; and 3) miscalculating the jail time credit. This court notes that this appeal is taken from two separate cases which were consolidated for the purposes of briefing and argument. For the reasons set forth below, the judgment is affirmed in part and reversed in part.

{¶2} On October 5, 2009, Officer John Pettit (“Pettit”) and Officer Steve Gyoker (“Gyoker”) were on patrol when they were dispatched to the area of Interstate 76 and State Route 43 for a possibly intoxicated driver. The dispatch was the result of an anonymous phone tip. Once in the area, they observed a vehicle matching the described one parked at a pay phone. When the vehicle departed, Pettit began following it. The vehicle then abruptly changed lanes in

front of Pettit and almost caused a collision as the vehicle attempted to enter I-76. Pettit then activated the overhead lights and initiated a traffic stop.

{¶3} After stopping Aguirre, Pettit became suspicious of Aguirre when he appeared to be taking a longer route than necessary home from a football game.1 While speaking to Aguirre, Pettit noticed two cell phones in the console. Pettit questioned Aguirre as to why he was using a pay phone if he had two cell phones. Aguirre nervously responded that the phones were not working. Given that the area was one known for high drug trafficking, Pettit was suspicious and asked Aguirre for permission to search his vehicle. Aguirre consented. During the search, Pettit and Gyoker found various drug paraphernalia, five marijuana cigarettes, and other contraband. Aguirre was then arrested for possession of drugs and a tow truck was called to remove the vehicle. Before the tow truck arrived, Pettit and Gyoker conducted an inventory search of the vehicle and found additional items, including a wireless camera, a third cell phone, a pal trio phone with memory cards among other items.

{¶4} Once at the station, Aguirre was questioned concerning the contents of the phones and memory cards. Aguirre gave written consent to the officers permitting them to view them. The officers discovered videos of women undressing in a medical facility exam room, still pictures of a young boy without

1 This court does not hold that merely avoiding the turnpike in favor of an interstate or any other legal route of travel is suspicious behavior, even if it takes longer.

clothing, and two videos of a young girl putting on underwear in a laundry room. The officers then obtained a warrant to further search the vehicle and discovered a photograph of a minor female with her breasts exposed. During a police interview, it was determined that the videos of the women were taken in Seneca County, Ohio.

{¶5} On January 27, 2010, a Seneca County Grand Jury indicted Aguirre with thirteen counts of illegal use of a minor in nudity oriented materials or performance, felonies of the second degree in violation of R.C. 2907.323, and fifty-nine counts of voyeurism, misdemeanors of the first degree in violation of R.C. 2907.08. This indictment resulted in case number 2010 CR 0015. A second indictment was issued on February 24, 2010, charging Aguirre with thirteen counts of illegal use of a minor in nudity oriented materials or performance, felonies of the second degree in violation of R.C. 2907.323. This indictment was assigned case number 2010 CR 0037. Aguirre entered pleas of not guilty to all charges. On March 17, 2010, the State filed a motion to dismiss counts 1-13 in case number 2010 CR 0015 because they were the same charges filed in case number 2010 CR 0037. The motion was granted by the trial court on March 18, 2010.

{¶6} On March 10, 2010, Aguirre filed motions to suppress in both cases.

Amended motions to suppress were filed in both cases on June 9, 2010. A hearing

was held on the motions on August 31, 2010. At the hearing, both Aguirre and the State stipulated that the trial court would consider the transcript of a hearing on a motion to suppress and the exhibits from that hearing in Portage County and that no new evidence would be heard. The parties then submitted written briefs in support of their positions. On September 29, 2010, the trial court overruled the motions to suppress.

{¶7} On February 17, 2011, Aguirre waived his right to a jury trial. The trial in case number 2010 CR 0037 was held on March 1, 2011. Prior to the start of trial, Aguirre filed a motion in limine requesting that any evidence or images not the subject of one of the counts of the indictment would be excluded. This motion was overruled. The State filed a motion to dismiss count 13 of the indictment, which was granted. At the conclusion of the trial, the trial court found Aguirre guilty of the remaining 12 counts of the indictment. Aguirre then changed his pleas in case number 2010 CR 0015 to no contest pleas. On March 30, 2011, the trial court found Aguirre guilty of all counts in case number 2010 CR 0015. A sentencing hearing was held on May 13, 2011. The trial court sentenced Aguirre to eight years in prison on each count in case number 2010 CR 0037, with each sentence to be served concurrently. In case number 2010 CR 0015, Aguirre was sentenced to 180 days for each of the counts, with all counts to run concurrent to

each other and to the counts in case number 2010 CR 0037. Aguirre appeals from these judgments and raises the following assignments of error.

First Assignment of Error

The trial court erred to the prejudice of [Aguirre] by denying his motion to suppress evidence at trial on the grounds that the warrantless search of his automobile and resulting seizure of certain evidence incident thereto was in violation of [Aguirre’s]

rights and protections as guaranteed by the Fourth and Fourteenth Amendments to the Constitution of the United States and by Article I, Section 14 of the Constitution of the State of Ohio.

Second Assignment of Error

The trial court erred to the prejudice of [Aguirre] by denying [Aguirre’s] criminal rule 29 motion for directed verdict of acquittal when there was insufficient evidence to prove the elements of the crime of illegal use of a minor in nudity oriented material or performance (counts one through twelve of the indictment), in violation of R.C. 2907.323, by proof beyond a reasonable doubt.

Third Assignment of Error

The trial court erred to the prejudice of [Aguirre] by denying his motion for jail-time credit back to the date of his arrest in violation of his rights under the Fourteenth Amendment to the Constitution of the United States and by Article I, Section 14 of the Constitution of the State of Ohio for Equal Protection under the law.

The appeal from case no. 2010 CR 0015 was assigned Appellate Case No. 13-11- 19 and the appeal from case no. 2010 CR 0037 was assigned Appellate Case No. 13-11-20.

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