State v. Ball

2023 Ohio 235
Ohio Court of Appeals·Decided January 27, 2023·No. 2022 CA 00014·Published

Opinion

COURT OF APPEALS

LICKING COUNTY, OHIO

FIFTH APPELLATE DISTRICT

STATE OF OHIO JUDGES:

Hon. W. Scott Gwin, P.J.

Plaintiff-Appellee Hon. William B. Hoffman, J.

Hon. John W. Wise, J.

-vs-

Case No. 2022 CA 00014

DONTAE BALL

Defendant-Appellant OPINION

CHARACTER OF PROCEEDING: Criminal Appeal from the Court of Common Pleas, Case No. 21 CR 00056

JUDGMENT: Affirmed

DATE OF JUDGMENT ENTRY: January 27, 2023

APPEARANCES: For Plaintiff-Appellee For Defendant-Appellant

WILLIAM C. HAYES WILLIAM T. CRAMER PROSECUTING ATTORNEY 470 Olde Worthington Road ROBERT N. ABDALLA Suite 200 ASSISTANT PROSECUTOR Westerville, Ohio 43082 20 South Second Street Newark, Ohio 43055

Licking County, Case No. 2022 CA 00014 2

Wise, J.

{¶1} Defendant-Appellant Dontae Ball appeals the judgment of the Licking County Court of Common Pleas denying the motion to suppress evidence and his sentence. Appellee is State of Ohio. The relevant facts leading to this appeal are as follows.

STATEMENT OF THE FACTS AND CASE

{¶2} On February 4, 2021, the Licking County Grand Jury indicted Appellant on one count of Aggravated Possession of Methamphetamine in violation of R.C.§2925.11(A)(C)(1)(e), one count of Aggravated Trafficking in Methamphetamine in violation of R.C. §2925.03(A)(2)(C)(1)(f), one count of Possession of Fentanyl-Related Compound in violation of R.C. §2925.11(A)(C)(11)(g), Trafficking in Fentanyl-Related Compound in violation of R.C. §2925.03(A)(2)(C)(9)(h), one count of Possession of Cocaine in violation of 2925.11(A)(C)(4)(b), and one count of Trafficking in Cocaine in violation of R.C. §2925.03(A)(2)(C)(4)(c). The indictment included a Forfeiture Specification (U.S. currency) in violation of R.C. §2981.02(A)(1)(b) and §2941.1417(A), a Forfeiture Specification (vehicle) in violation of R.C. §2981.02(A)(1)(A) and §2941.1417(A), and a Major Drug Offender Specification in violation of R.C. §2941.1410(B).

{¶3} Appellant pled not guilty to all charges.

{¶4} On March 17, 2021, Appellant filed a Motion to Suppress evidence found in a search of a storage unit. Appellant’s Motion to Suppress challenged the affidavit in the warrant application was vague, unreliable and generally insufficient overall to support a finding of probable cause.

{¶5} On March 24, 2021, Appellee filed a Memorandum in Opposition.

{¶6} On June 14, 2021, the trial court denied Appellant’s Motion to Suppress.

{¶7} On June 24, 2021, Appellant filed a Motion to Reconsider Motion to Suppress.

{¶8} On June 25, 2021, the trial court denied Appellant’s Motion to Reconsider.

{¶9} On February 23, 2022, the matter proceeded to a jury trial.

{¶10} On February 25, 2022, the jury found Appellant guilty on all six counts. The trial court found counts one and two merged for sentencing purposes, counts three and four merged for sentencing purposes, and counts five and six merged for sentencing purposes. The trial court then imposed a maximum indefinite mandatory term of eleven to sixteen and a half years on counts two and four to run concurrently, and a maximum term of eighteen months on count six to run consecutively to counts two and four. The trial court imposed an additional, mandatory consecutive term of four years for the major drug offender specification on count four for an aggregate total of sixteen and a half to twenty-two years.

ASSIGNMENTS OF ERROR

{¶11} Appellant filed a timely notice of appeal. He herein raises the following two Assignments of Error:

{¶12} “I. APPELLANT’S STATE AND FEDERAL CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS TO BE FREE OF UNREASONABLE SEARCHES AND SEIZURES WAS VIOLATED WHEN THE TRIAL COURT REFUSED TO SUPPRESS EVIDENCE ARISING FROM A SEARCH WARRANT THAT WAS NOT SUPPORTED BY PROBABLE CAUSE.

Licking County, Case No. 2022 CA 00014 4

{¶13} “II. INDEFINITE PRISON TERMS IMPOSED UNDER THE REAGAN TOKES LAW VIOLATE THE JURY TRIAL GUARANTEE, THE DOCTRINE OF SEPARATION OF POWERS, AND DUE PROCESS PRINCIPLES UNDER THE FEDERAL AND STATE CONSTITUTIONS.”

I.

{¶14} In Appellant’s first Assignment of Error, Appellant argues the trial court erred in finding that Trooper Hendricks impermissibly extended the traffic stop. We disagree.

{¶15} The Fourth Amendment to the United States Constitution and Section 14, Article I, Ohio Constitution, prohibit the government from conducting unreasonable searches and seizures of persons or their property. See Terry v. Ohio, 392 U.S. 1, 88 S.Ct. 1868, 20 L.Ed.2d 889 (1968); State v. Andrews (1991), 57 Ohio St.3d 86, 87, 565 N.E.2d 1271 (1991).

{¶16} Appellate review of a motion to suppress is a mixed question of law and fact. State v. Burnside, 100 Ohio St.3d 152, 2003-Ohio-5372, 797 N.E.2d 71, ¶8. During a suppression hearing, the trial court assumes the role of trier of fact and, as such, is in the best position to resolve questions of fact and to evaluate witness credibility. State v. Brooks, 75 Ohio St.3d 148, 154, 1996-Ohio-134, 661 N.E.2d 1030. A reviewing court is bound to accept the trial court’s findings of fact if they are supported by competent, credible evidence. State v. Medcalf, 111 Ohio App.3d 142,145, 675 N.E.2d 1268 (4th Dist.1996). Accepting these facts as true, the appellate court must independently determine as a matter of law, without deference to the trial court’s conclusions, whether the trial court’s decision meets the applicable legal standard. State v. Williams, 86 Ohio

Licking County, Case No. 2022 CA 00014 5

App.3d 37, 41, 619 N.E.2d 1141 (4th Dist.1993), overruled on other grounds, State v. Gunther, 4th Dist. Pickaway No. 04CA25, 2005-Ohio-3492, ¶16.

{¶17} Three methods exist to challenge a trial court’s ruling on a motion to suppress. First, appellant may challenge the trial court’s findings of facts. State v. Fanning, 1 Ohio St.3d 19, 20, 437 N.E.2d 583 (1982). Second, appellant may argue the trial court failed to apply the appropriate test or correct law to the findings of fact. In that case, the appellate court can reverse the trial court for committing an error of law. Williams at 41. Third, appellant may argue the trial court incorrectly decided the ultimate issue raised in the motion to suppress. When addressing the third type of challenge, an appellate court must independently determine, without deference to the trial court’s conclusion, whether the facts meet the appropriate legal standard in the given case (Citation omitted). State v. Curry, 95 Ohio App.3d 93, 96, 641 N.E.2d 1172 (8th Dist.1994).

{¶18} In the case sub judice, Appellant argues that there was not probable cause for the issuance of the search warrant for Appellant’s storage unit. In authorizing a search warrant, the issuing magistrate’s duty is to determine whether “there is a fair probability that contraband or evidence of a crime will be found in a particular place * * *.” Illinois v. Gates, 462 U.S. 213, 238, 103 S.Ct. 2317, 76 L.Ed.2d 527 (1983); State v. Jones, 143 Ohio St.3d 266, 2015-Ohio-483, 37 N.E.3d 123, ¶13. “[T]he duty of a reviewing court is simply to ensure that the magistrate had a ‘substantial basis for * * * conclud[ing]’ that probable cause existed.” Gates at 238-239, quoting Jones v. United States, 362 U.S. 257, 271, 80 S.Ct. 725, 4 L.Ed.2d 697 (1960); State v. Castagnola, 145 Ohio St.3d 1, 2015- Ohio-1565, 46 N.E.3d 638, ¶35. In reviewing whether a search warrant has been issued upon probable cause, courts must examine the totality of the circumstances. State v. Jones, 143 Ohio St.3d 266, 2015-Ohio-483, 37 N.E.3d 123, ¶15.

{¶19} Trial courts and appellate courts “should accord great deference to the magistrate’s determination of probable cause, and doubtful or marginal cases in this area should be resolved in favor of upholding the warrant.” State v. George, 45 Ohio St.3d 325, 544 N.E.2d 640 (1989), paragraph two of the syllabus; State v. Jones, 143 Ohio St.3d 266, 2015-Ohio-483, 37 N.E.3d 123, ¶14.

{¶20} Appellant specifically argues that the information in the affidavit from confidential sources was unreliable and there was no nexus between the storage unit and illegal activity.

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