State v. Feucht

2024 S.D. 16
South Dakota Supreme Court·Decided April 3, 2024·No. 30013·Published·Cited by 2 cases

Opinion

#30013-r-JMK 2024 S.D. 16

IN THE SUPREME COURT

OF THE

STATE OF SOUTH DAKOTA

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STATE OF SOUTH DAKOTA, Plaintiff and Appellee, v.

MATTHEW T. FEUCHT, Defendant and Appellant.

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APPEAL FROM THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE SECOND JUDICIAL CIRCUIT LINCOLN COUNTY, SOUTH DAKOTA

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THE HONORABLE JEROME A. ECKRICH III Retired Judge

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MANUEL J. DE CASTRO, JR. Sioux Falls, South Dakota Attorney for defendant and appellant.

MARTY J. JACKLEY Attorney General

JENNIFER M. JORGENSON Assistant Attorney General Pierre, South Dakota Attorneys for plaintiff and appellee.

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CONSIDERED ON BRIEFS

MARCH 21, 2023

REASSIGNED JULY 21, 2023

OPINION FILED 04/03/24

KERN, Justice (on reassignment). [¶1.] Matthew Feucht pled guilty to possession of a controlled substance, and the circuit court sentenced him to nine years in the penitentiary with four suspended. Feucht appeals, asserting the circuit court erred in imposing a penitentiary sentence without finding aggravating circumstances within the meaning of SDCL 22-6-11 and further erred by not listing the aggravating circumstances in the judgment of conviction. We reverse and remand.

Factual and Procedural Background [¶2.] On January 23, 2021, Feucht was at his home in Hudson, South Dakota, with his son and sixteen-year-old daughter, A.F., when A.F. found bags of marijuana in a box in a closet in the home. 1 A.F. texted her mother, Feucht’s ex- wife, photographs she had taken of the marijuana in the box and of a glass pipe she later found. In one picture, the butt of a gun was visible. The mother called dispatch, requesting to speak to an officer about her children being in the home with Feucht. Deputy Leah Stroschein spoke with the mother and then called A.F. Because A.F. could not talk at the time, Deputy Stroschein sent her a text message asking her what she had located in the house. In response, A.F. sent the deputy a text containing the pictures she had sent her mother. Using the information provided, Deputy Stroschein applied for a search warrant for Feucht’s home.

1. The factual background for this case comes from the information contained in the presentence investigation report (PSI), including attached law enforcement reports. Feucht did not object to any of the information in the PSI and had previously consented to the circuit court using the law enforcement reports to find a factual basis for his guilty plea.

[¶3.] Deputy Stroschein’s report states that while she was waiting for the warrant, A.F. texted her: “He found out”; “He[’]s mad”; “He[’]s hiding the box”; “He[’]s going to be livid”; “He[’]s pisse[d].” Although, at the time, it was unclear who tipped off Feucht, law enforcement later learned that the dispatcher was Feucht’s uncle, who told Feucht about the call and suggested Feucht get rid of the drugs. 2 [¶4.] Deputy Stroschein’s report also noted that A.F. called her because Feucht was leaving the house with the box of marijuana. A.F. told the deputy that she did not know where Feucht was going. A.F. also told Deputy Stroschein that she would be hiding under the deck of the residence because she was scared of Feucht. A.F. then hung up and texted Deputy Stroschein that Feucht had returned and was moving other items, including a box, to his vehicle. Around this same time, officers arrived at the home to execute the search warrant and Feucht was placed in the back of a patrol vehicle. [¶5.] During the search, the officers recovered firearms, ammunition, drug paraphernalia, and approximately $6,800 in small bills. Deputy Stroschein discovered what she believed to be an old marijuana growing operation in Feucht’s basement based on the presence of several fluorescent lights, jugs of PH balance liquid, and an additional electrical panel. While still at the home, law enforcement obtained a warrant to search Feucht’s vehicle and found several illegal substances, including THC wax and mushrooms. Feucht was placed under arrest.

2. The dispatcher’s conduct was reported to and investigated by the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation.

[¶6.] Officers eventually learned from A.F. that Feucht might have taken the box of marijuana to his friend’s house in Hawarden, Iowa. Officers relayed this information to the Hawarden Police Department, and a search warrant was executed on the friend’s home on January 28, 2021. The search recovered sixteen pounds of marijuana in a box consistent with the one in the photograph taken by A.F. and over nine ounces of psilocybin mushrooms. [¶7.] On February 1, 2021, Feucht’s phone was seized pursuant to a warrant. The search revealed photographs of drugs and text messages between Feucht and others using drug slang and coordinating times to come to Feucht’s property. Law enforcement determined that multiple phone numbers found in Feucht’s contacts belonged to people with prior drug arrests. [¶8.] Feucht was indicted by a Lincoln County grand jury on February 17, 2021, for thirteen misdemeanor and felony counts including: two counts of possession with intent to manufacture, distribute, or dispense a controlled substance; distribution or possession with intent to distribute marijuana; felony possession of marijuana; two counts of abuse or cruelty to a minor age seven or above; tampering with a witness; two counts of keeping a place for sale or use of a controlled drug or substance; two counts of unauthorized possession of a controlled substance; possession of a firearm by one with a prior drug conviction; and simple assault, domestic. The State filed a part II information, alleging that Feucht had two prior felonies. Feucht pled not guilty and denied that he was a habitual offender.

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