State v. Gifford

2022 Ohio 1620
CourtOhio Court of Appeals
DecidedMay 13, 2022
DocketL-21-1201
StatusPublished
Cited by18 cases

This text of 2022 Ohio 1620 (State v. Gifford) 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. Gifford, 2022 Ohio 1620 (Ohio Ct. App. 2022).

Opinion

[Cite as State v. Gifford, 2022-Ohio-1620.]

IN THE COURT OF APPEALS OF OHIO SIXTH APPELLATE DISTRICT LUCAS COUNTY

State of Ohio Court of Appeals No. L-21-1201

Appellee/Cross-appellant Trial Court No. CR0202001397

v.

Charles Edward Gifford DECISION AND JUDGMENT

Appellant/Cross-appellee Decided: May 13, 2022

*****

Julia R. Bates, Lucas County Prosecuting Attorney, and Brenda J. Majdalani, Assistant Prosecuting Attorney, for Appellee/Cross-appellant.

Michael H. Stahl, for Appellant/Cross-appellee.

MAYLE, J.

{¶ 1} In this accelerated appeal, defendant-appellant/cross-appellee, Charles

Gifford, appeals the September 30, 2021 judgment of the Lucas County Court of

Common Pleas, convicting him of two counts of robbery and sentencing him to a minimum of four years in prison and a maximum of six years in prison on count 1, and

four years in prison on count 2, to be served consecutively. The state cross-appeals,

arguing that the trial court incorrectly calculated the indefinite prison term for counts 1

and 2. For the following reasons, we reverse the trial court judgment, in part, and affirm,

in part. As explained below, we modify Gifford’s sentence under the authority of R.C.

2953.08(G)(2).

I. Background

{¶ 2} Charles Gifford was indicted on two counts of aggravated robbery,

violations of R.C. 2911.01(A)(1) and (C), first-degree felonies, after robbing a carryout

on February 12, 2020, and again on February 14, 2020. He brandished a knife during

both robberies.

{¶ 3} Gifford entered a plea of guilty to amended Counts 1 and 2, robbery,

violations of R.C. 2911.02(A)(1) and (B), second-degree felonies. The court accepted

Gifford’s plea, made a finding of guilty, ordered a presentence investigation report, and

continued the matter for sentencing.

{¶ 4} Because the offenses were qualifying offenses of the second degree, Gifford

was sentenced under the Reagan Tokes Law to indefinite sentences. On each count, the

trial court imposed a minimum sentence of four years and a maximum sentence of six

years. Despite the state’s recommendation that the court order the prison terms to be

served concurrently, the court ordered that they be served consecutively. While not

2. reflected in the sentencing entry, the trial court stated at the sentencing hearing that the

imposition of consecutive sentences resulted in a total minimum term of eight years and a

total maximum term of 12 years. In other words, the court added the two minimum terms

together and added the maximum terms together in calculating the total minimum and

maximum sentences.

{¶ 5} Gifford appealed, and assigned three errors for our review: (1) “[t]he trial

court erred in ordering consecutive sentences,” (2) “[a]ppellant’s sentence to an indefinite

term under R.C. 2929.144 violates the constitutional doctrine of the separation of

powers,” and (3) “[a]ppellant’s sentence to an indefinite term under R.C. 2929.144

violates his right to due process under the Fifth and Fourteenth Amendments to the

United States Constitution.” State v. Gifford, 6th Dist. Lucas No. L-20-1152, 2021-Ohio-

2967, ¶ 7.

{¶ 6} We determined, sua sponte, that the trial court erred in calculating Gifford’s

total maximum sentence. We found that while the total minimum prison term was

correctly calculated to be eight years, under R.C. 2929.144(B)(2), the total maximum

prison term should have been calculated to be ten years—not 12. We remanded the

matter for resentencing. We did not reach the merits of Gifford’s assignments of error.

{¶ 7} On remand, at the sentencing hearing, the trial court again sentenced Gifford

to four years on each count. It properly recognized that a four-year sentence would result

in a two-year tail. It again ordered that the sentences be served consecutively, and it

3. properly calculated the total minimum term to be eight years and the total maximum term

to be ten years. This calculation was not included in the sentencing entry, however,

which was journalized September 30, 2021. That entry simply states that a term of four

years was imposed as to Count 1 and Count 2, and “Defendant’s minimum state[d] prison

term as to Count 1 is 4 years. The Defendant’s maximum state[d] prison term as to count

1 is 6 years. The indefinite portion of the Defendant’s prison term is 2 years.” It does

not state the effect of consecutive service of Counts 1 and 2.

{¶ 8} Gifford again appealed and again challenges the imposition of consecutive

sentences and the constitutionality of the Reagan Tokes Law. He assigns two errors for

our review:

Assignment of Error I: The trial court erred in imposing consecutive

sentences, as while there was a course of conduct leading to the two counts,

nothing about the harm caused was “great or unusual” as required by R.C.

2929.14(C), the acts were not committed while awaiting trial or under

supervision, and no history of criminal conduct was apparent[.]

Assignment of Error II: The statutory requirement of the imposition

of indeterminate sentences under R.C. 2929.144 invades the province of the

judiciary and as such violates the separation of powers required by the Ohio

Constitution, and due process under the Ohio and U.S. Constitutions[.]

4. {¶ 9} The state cross-appealed, challenging the court’s calculation of Gifford’s

total indefinite prison term. It assigns one error for our review:

The trial court erred in the sentencing entry by failing to properly

calculate the total indefinite prison term for counts 1 and 2.

II. Law and Analysis

{¶ 10} The parties have filed cross-appeals. Gifford challenges the imposition of

consecutive sentences and the constitutionality of the sentencing scheme under which he

was sentenced. The state argues that the trial court failed to properly calculate Gifford’s

total indefinite prison term. We address the parties’ assignments of error in turn.

A. Consecutive Sentences

{¶ 11} In his first assignment of error, Gifford argues that the imposition of

consecutive sentences was contrary to law. Specifically, he claims that the trial court’s

findings are not supported by the record because (1) while more than one armed robbery

occurred, there is nothing in the record demonstrating that the multiple offenses were so

great or unusual as to warrant consecutive sentences, and (2) he did not have a significant

criminal history, so the court relied on his history of instability and drug and alcohol

abuse as aggravating factors instead of as mitigating factors.

{¶ 12} The state responds that the trial court made the appropriate findings

required to support the imposition of consecutive sentences, and ultimately concluded

that (1) two robberies were committed, just days apart, during which Gifford threatened

5. the store clerk with a knife; (2) both incidents were serious crimes with long-lasting

psychological effects on the victims; (3) Gifford had a history of drug and alcohol abuse;

and (4) overall, Gifford was unstable while out in the community.

{¶ 13} We review a challenge to a felony sentence under R.C. 2953.08(G)(2).

R.C. 2953.08(G)(2) provides that an appellate court may increase, reduce, or otherwise

modify a sentence or may vacate the sentence and remand the matter to the sentencing

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Bluebook (online)
2022 Ohio 1620, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-gifford-ohioctapp-2022.