State v. David

2017 Ohio 1102
CourtOhio Court of Appeals
DecidedMarch 27, 2017
Docket2016-A-0029
StatusPublished
Cited by3 cases

This text of 2017 Ohio 1102 (State v. David) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Ohio Court of Appeals primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
State v. David, 2017 Ohio 1102 (Ohio Ct. App. 2017).

Opinion

[Cite as State v. David, 2017-Ohio-1102.]

IN THE COURT OF APPEALS

ELEVENTH APPELLATE DISTRICT

ASHTABULA COUNTY, OHIO

STATE OF OHIO, : OPINION

Plaintiff-Appellee, : CASE NO. 2016-A-0029 - vs - :

NOLAN DAVID, :

Defendant-Appellant. :

Criminal Appeal from the Ashtabula County Court of Common Pleas, Case No. 2014 CR 00310.

Judgment: Affirmed.

Nicholas A. Iarocci, Ashtabula County Prosecutor, and Shelley M. Pratt, Assistant Prosecutor, Ashtabula County Courthouse, 25 West Jefferson Street, Jefferson, OH 44047 (For Plaintiff-Appellee).

Gerald R. Walton and John J. Schneider, Gerald R. Walton & Associates, 6060 Rockside Woods Boulevard, Spectrum Building, Suite 200, Independence, OH 44131 (For Defendant-Appellant).

CYNTHIA WESTCOTT RICE, P.J.

{¶1} Appellant, Nolan David, appeals from the judgment entry of the Ashtabula

County Court of Common Pleas, sentencing him to two years imprisonment upon his

plea of guilty to illegal manufacture of drugs, a second degree felony, in violation of R.C.

2925.04(A)(C)(2). Appellant contends the trial court erred in denying his pre-sentence

motion to withdraw his plea. We affirm the trial court’s judgment. {¶2} Appellant engaged in drug manufacturing with his uncle, Marc David, at

the residence of appellant’s grandfather, Norman David (“Norman”). The following facts

are taken from the trial court’s judgment entry denying Marc David’s motion to suppress

in a companion case to this matter, to wit: Case No. 2014-CR-307. The state submitted

this judgment entry as an exhibit at the hearing on appellant’s motion to withdraw his

guilty plea, and the trial court made it part of the record.

{¶3} On May 18, 2014, at approximately 8:30 p.m., Patrolman Gary Nelson of

the Jefferson Police Department was dispatched to the Speedway gas station in

Jefferson to meet with Harry Powell, who was concerned about possible drug-related

activity at a residence near his own. Mr. Powell advised the officer he had smelled an

ammonia-like odor emanating from the residence located at 128 Uselma Avenue,

Norman’s residence. Mr. Powell also indicated that he had observed appellant and a

thin, white female frequently entering and exiting the garage at the residence. Mr.

Powell had also heard an individual inside the garage admonish the female for smoking

near the garage, warning her that she would “blow up the garage.” Mr. Powell

expressed concern for Norman’s well being. Mr. Powell provided the officer with the

license-plate number of a vehicle that was often parked at the residence and driven by

the thin female. Officer Nelson learned that the car was registered to Samantha

Buehner.

{¶4} Officer Nelson knew Norman and also was aware that Norman was

elderly. Given Mr. Powell’s statements, the officer went to the residence, but did not

observe anyone near the garage, and did not smell any unusual chemical odor. At shift

change, near 11:00 p.m. that night, Officer Nelson advised Officer Anthony Wood of Mr.

Powell’s statement regarding possible drug activity at 128 Uselma Avenue. The officers

2 returned to the residence and knocked on the door for approximately 10-15 minutes.

No one answered the door. The car registered to Ms. Buehner was still in the driveway.

The officers obtained a phone number for the residence and were able to contact

Norman by phone. Norman advised the officers he was upstairs and bedridden.

Norman invited the officers into the home so they could speak with him. After entering

the residence, Officer Wood noted he smelled marijuana when he entered the home.

{¶5} Officer Nelson advised Norman that a concerned neighbor believed there

might be drug activity going on in his garage. Officer Nelson explained that the neighbor

had smelled a chemical-like odor coming from the garage. Norman accordingly gave the

officers consent to look in the garage and requested they let him know if they found

anything.

{¶6} Upon approaching the garage, the officers determined the door was

locked. The officers advised Norman, who provided them with a key to enter the garage.

When they entered the garage, Officer Nelson smelled a strong odor of suspected

marijuana. Officer Nelson observed a large amount of marijuana on a chair in the

garage. The officer also noticed two additional large bags containing a large amount of

suspected marijuana. He further observed a glass bowl that had dried residue on it and

bottles of butane. Officer Wood observed several items he associated with the

manufacture of methamphetamine and hashish. Officer Nelson took photographs of the

items then the officers left the garage.

{¶7} While the officers were discussing the need to obtain a search warrant

and for more personnel, Officer Nelson observed a light go on and off in the basement

of the residence. The officers also heard voices coming from the basement. Officer

Nelson testified that he did not see anyone arrive at or leave the residence, and no one

3 responded when the officers initially announced their presence inside the house. He

therefore concluded that whoever was in the basement had been there the entire time.

{¶8} Officer Wood and two other officers entered the home and announced

their presence, advising anyone there to “come out now.” The officers yelled into the

basement numerous times, but no one responded. The officers conducted a protective

sweep of the residence, in the interest of officer safety and the safety of Norman David.

In the course of the sweep, they entered the basement and saw a light coming from

under a door underneath the stairs. The officers opened the door and discovered a

large, sophisticated marijuana-growing operation, including 50 to 100 marijuana plants.

{¶9} Officer Wood and another officer then went upstairs to the second floor of

the residence and discovered appellant with Samantha Bruehner in a bedroom across

from Norman’s room. Officer Wood testified that these individuals were lying on a bed

but sweating profusely. Michelle David was found in a separate, upstairs bedroom.

{¶10} Officer Wood then left the scene and returned with a search warrant. Upon

executing the search warrant, they found dozens of marijuana bags, numerous

magazines on growing marijuana, and over $8,000.00 in cash in a room they

determined to be appellant’s bedroom. Ephedrine, a product used in the manufacture of

methamphetamine, and large amounts of powder methamphetamine were also

discovered in that bedroom. A large number of other items were taken into evidence,

including a one-pot meth lab that was discovered in the garage.

{¶11} Appellant was arrested and the Ashtabula County Grand Jury returned a

six-count indictment against him: Count One, aggravated possession of drugs, in

violation of R.C. 2925.11(A)(C)(1)(d), a first-degree felony; Count Two, illegal

manufacture of drugs, in violation of R.C. 2925.04(A)(C)(3)(a), a second-degree felony;

4 Count Three, illegal assembly or possession of chemicals for the manufacture of drugs,

in violation of R.C. 2925.04, a third-degree felony; Count Four, illegal manufacture of

drugs, in violation of R.C. 2925.04(A)(C)(2), a second-degree felony; Count Five, illegal

manufacture or cultivation of marijuana, in violation of R.C. 2925.04(A)(C)(5)(d), a third-

degree felony; and Count Six, possession of marijuana, in violation of R.C.

2925.11(A)(C)(3)(d), a third-degree felony.

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2017 Ohio 1102, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-david-ohioctapp-2017.