State v. Lomack

2013 Ohio 5
CourtOhio Court of Appeals
DecidedJanuary 2, 2013
Docket2012-CA-32
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 2013 Ohio 5 (State v. Lomack) 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. Lomack, 2013 Ohio 5 (Ohio Ct. App. 2013).

Opinion

[Cite as State v. Lomack, 2013-Ohio-5.]

COURT OF APPEALS LICKING COUNTY, OHIO FIFTH APPELLATE DISTRICT

JUDGES: STATE OF OHIO : Hon. Patricia A. Delaney, P.J. : Hon. W. Scott Gwin, J. Plaintiff-Appellee : Hon. William B. Hoffman, J. : -vs- : : Case No. 2012-CA-32 SAMUEL LOMACK, JR. : : Defendant-Appellant : OPINION

CHARACTER OF PROCEEDING: Criminal appeal from the Licking County Court of Common Pleas, Case No. 2011CR203

JUDGMENT: Affirmed

DATE OF JUDGMENT ENTRY: January 2, 2013

APPEARANCES:

For Plaintiff-Appellee For Defendant-Appellant

BRIAN WALTZ ASHLEY RUTHERFORD Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Willis & Willis L.P.A. Licking County Prosecutor’s Office 4653 Trueman Blvd., Ste. 100 Newark, OH 43055 Hilliard, OH 43026 [Cite as State v. Lomack, 2013-Ohio-5.]

Gwin, J.,

{¶1} Defendant-appellant Samuel Lomack [“Lomack”] appeals his conviction in

the Licking County Court of Common Pleas for one count of trafficking in hydrocodone

in excess of the bulk amount and within the vicinity of a juvenile.

Facts and Procedural History

{¶2} On April 21, 2011, Jeremy Fister contacted Lomack. Fister was a

confidential informant working under the direction of the Central Ohio Drug Enforcement

Task Force. During that conversation, Lomack offered to sell 100 Vicodin pills to Fister

for $400. The pair later arranged to meet at the Flying J gas station in Kirkersville,

Licking County, Ohio. Prior to the meeting, both Fister and his vehicle were searched.

Fister was then given buy money and wired with an audio recorder.

{¶3} Lomack arrived at the Flying J with his wife and children. Fister

approached Lomack's van on the driver's side. Upon approaching, Fister testified that

Lomack gave him 100 pills in exchange for $400.00. The undercover officers watching

this transaction were able to tell that something was going back and forth, but could not

specifically see the pills or the money.

{¶4} Shortly after the alleged transaction, Lomack exited his vehicle and

entered the gas station. Lieutenant Paul Cortright approached Lomack and asked him

to step outside where they could talk. Lieutenant Cortright testified that he advised

Lomack of his Miranda rights and Lomack waived those rights. During the ensuing

interview, Lomack admitted to selling the pills to Fister. Lomack later gave a written

statement admitting to trafficking in drugs. The pills were recovered and submitted for

testing, which indicated that they were the Schedule III version of Hydrocodone. Licking County, Case No. 2012-CA-32 3

{¶5} Lomack was indicted April 29, 2011 for Trafficking in Drugs (Hydrocodone)

in violation of R.C. 2925.03 (A)(1)(C)(2)(c). The indictment alleged that Lomack “did

knowingly sell, or offer to sell, Hydrocodone, a Schedule III Controlled Substance, in an

amount equal to or exceeding the bulk amount, but less than five times the bulk amount

of Hydrocodone, the said offense having occurred within the vicinity of a juvenile, in

violation of Section 2925.03(A)(1)(C)(2)(c) of the Ohio Revised Code, a felony of the

fourth degree."

{¶6} On June 6, 2011, the state filed a motion to amend the indictment to

reflect that the language and code section involved was for a felony of the third degree.

This motion alleged that the statement in the indictment that indicated that the charge

was “a felony of the fourth degree” was a typographical error. On June 7, 2011, the trial

court granted that motion and amended the indictment to reflect that the charge was a

felony of the third degree. On July 21, 2011, Lomack's original trial counsel filed a

"Motion to Vacate Previously Granted Motion to Amend Indictment" because he was not

given an opportunity to respond to the state’s motion to amend. The trial court denied

that motion on July 27, 2011.

{¶7} On February 15, 2012, Lomack filed a Motion to Suppress. The Court held

a suppression hearing that same day. During the hearing, Lieutenant Cortright admitted

that he did not have Lomack sign a written Miranda waiver, nor did he record his

conversation with Lomack.

{¶8} Lomack testified that he was not read his Miranda rights. Lomack further

testified that, upon approaching him, Lieutenant Cortright demanded to know where the

money was and reached into Lomack's pocket and pulled out a $20.00 bill. Lomack Licking County, Case No. 2012-CA-32 4

testified that Lieutenant Cortright told him to "step outside." Once outside, Lomack

testified that Lieutenant Cortright threatened Lomack and his children, telling Lomack

that if he did not sign a statement, Lieutenant Cortright would lock up Lomack's wife and

send the kids to Children's Services.

{¶9} At the conclusion of the hearing, the trial court overruled Lomack’s motion

to suppress.

{¶10} Lomack was found guilty of Trafficking in Drugs after a jury trial. The jury

also returned two special findings. They found that the amount of the drugs involved

was equal to or in excess of the bulk amount but less than five times the bulk amount.

The jury also found that the offense was committed in the vicinity of a juvenile. Lomack

was sentenced immediately following the jury trial to a term of 30 months in prison.

ASSIGNMENTS OF ERROR

{¶11} Lomack raises four assignments of error,

{¶12} “I. THE TRIAL COURT COMMITTED A REVERSIBLE ERROR WHEN

THE COURT GRANTED THE STATE OF OHIO'S JUNE 6, 2011 MOTION TO AMEND

THE INDICTMENT.

{¶13} “II. THE COURT COMMITTED A REVERSIBLE ERROR BY NOT

PROVIDING MR. LOMACK AN OPPORTUNITY TO RESPOND TO THE STATE'S

MOTION TO AMEND THE INDICTMENT.

{¶14} “III. THE TRIAL COURT COMMITTED A PREJUDICIAL ERROR IN

DENYING DEFENDANT-APPELLANT'S MOTION TO SUPPRESS REGARDING

DEFENDANT'S STATEMENTS MADE TO AUTHORITIES AT THE SCENE OF THE

INCIDENT. Licking County, Case No. 2012-CA-32 5

{¶15} “IV. DEFENDANT-APPELLANT’S CONVICTION WAS AGAINST THE

MANIFEST WEIGHT OF THE EVIDENCE.”

I. & II.

{¶16} Lomack’s first and second assignments of error raise common and

interrelated questions; therefore, we will address the arguments together.

{¶17} Section 10, Article I of the Ohio Constitution states: “[N]o person shall be

held to answer for a capital, or otherwise infamous crime, unless on presentment or

indictment of a grand jury.” This constitutional provision “guarantees the accused that

the essential facts constituting the offense for which he is tried will be found in the

indictment of the grand jury. Where one of the vital elements identifying the crime is

omitted from the indictment, it is defective and cannot be cured by the court as such a

procedure would permit the court to convict the accused on a charge essentially

different from that found by the grand jury.” State v. Headley, 6 Ohio St.3d 475, 478-

479, 453 N.E.2d 716(1983).

{¶18} Crim.R. 7(D) supplements this constitutional right by specifying when a

court may permit an amendment to an indictment: “The court may at any time before,

during, or after a trial amend the indictment, information, complaint, or bill of particulars,

in respect to any defect, imperfection, or omission in form or substance, or of any

variance with the evidence, provided no change is made in the name or identity of the

crime charged.”

{¶19} A trial court's decision allowing an amendment that changes the name or

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Related

State v. Saunders
2022 Ohio 4739 (Ohio Court of Appeals, 2022)
State v. Lomack
986 N.E.2d 1023 (Ohio Supreme Court, 2013)

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2013 Ohio 5, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-lomack-ohioctapp-2013.