August 12 2014
DA 13-0566
IN THE SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF MONTANA
2014 MT 217N
STATE OF MONTANA,
Plaintiff and Appellee,
v.
JASON MITTELSTEDTER,
Defendant and Appellant.
APPEAL FROM: District Court of the Eighteenth Judicial District, In and For the County of Gallatin, Cause No. DC 02-80B Honorable Mike Salvagni, Presiding Judge
COUNSEL OF RECORD:
For Appellant:
Robin A. Meguire, Attorney at Law, Great Falls, Montana
For Appellee:
Timothy C. Fox, Montana Attorney General, Brenda K. Elias, Assistant Attorney General, Helena, Montana
Marty Lambert, Gallatin County Attorney, Bozeman, Montana
Submitted on Briefs: July 2, 2014 Decided: August 12, 2014
Filed:
__________________________________________ Clerk Justice Laurie McKinnon delivered the Opinion of the Court. ¶1 Pursuant to Section I, Paragraph 3(d), Montana Supreme Court Internal Operating
Rules, this case is decided by memorandum opinion and shall not be cited and does not
serve as precedent. Its case title, cause number, and disposition shall be included in this
Court’s quarterly list of noncitable cases published in the Pacific Reporter and the
Montana Reports.
¶2 Jason Mittelstedter filed a consolidated appeal of three district court cause
numbers from the Eighteenth Judicial District Court, Gallatin County: DC 02-80,
DC 02-93, and DC 04-248. However, Mittelstedter only raises on appeal issues that
relate to his sentencing on revocation in DC 04-248. We affirm in part, reverse in part,
and remand for limited proceedings consistent with this Opinion.
¶3 In 2004, the State charged Mittelstedter with felony theft (Count 1), felony
burglary (Count 2), and misdemeanor theft, common scheme (Count 3) after he
fraudulently charged $3,997.32 worth of equipment to three hardware and lumber stores
in Bozeman, burglarized a Bozeman residence, and caused $4,561.98 worth of damages
when he broke into and stole items from numerous vehicles. On December 23, 2004,
Mittelstedter signed an acknowledgement and waiver of rights and pleaded guilty to all
charges against him. In February 2005, Mittelstedter received the following sentences,
which were ordered to run concurrently: a 3-year commitment to the Department of
Corrections (DOC) for Count 1; a 15-year commitment to Montana State Prison (MSP)
with all time suspended for Count 2; and a 180-day commitment in the Gallatin County
Detention Center with all time suspended for Count 3. As a condition of the suspended
2 sentences Mittelstedter was ordered to pay $8,559.30 in restitution. The judgment did not
specify that restitution was being ordered pursuant to any particular count, but rather
required restitution be paid as a condition of the consolidated judgment. Mittelstedter
did not object to the manner in which restitution was imposed.
¶4 In December 2007, the District Court revoked Mittelstedter’s felony sentences on
Counts 1 and 2.1 Prior to sentencing, Mittelstedter signed an acknowledgement and
waiver of rights in which he admitted to all allegations contained in the petition to
revoke. The State recommended that only Count 2 be revoked, and that Mittelstedter be
committed to the DOC for 15 years with 10 years suspended “upon the normal terms and
conditions of the court including that the defendant pay all financial obligations
previously ordered by the court.” The District Court, however, sentenced Mittelstedter
on both counts to concurrent DOC commitments with credit for time served of 10 years
with 5 years suspended for Count 1, and 15 years with 10 years suspended for Count 2.
The court ordered Mittelstedter, for the second time, to pay $8,559.30 in restitution.
Mittelstedter did not object to reimposition of restitution.
¶5 The record shows that Mittelstedter’s 3-year commitment on Count 1 was
discharged on October 17, 2007. As noted above, the State filed its petitions to revoke in
December 2007. As a matter of law, a discharged sentence cannot be revoked. See
generally § 46-18-203, MCA. Thus, the District Court did not have authority to
resentence Mittelstedter on Count 1 once that sentence had been discharged. The State
concedes this point. We therefore reverse and remand on Count 1, with instructions to
1 Mittelstedter had already served his sentence of 180 days on Count 3.
3 vacate all sentences imposed on Count 1 subsequent to Mittelstedter’s discharge of that
sentence on October 17, 2007.
¶6 On July 8, 2013, the District Court considered, during a consolidated revocation
hearing, the State’s petition to revoke in DC 02-80, DC 02-93, and DC 04-248. Prior to
sentencing, Mittelstedter signed an acknowledgement and waiver of rights in which he
admitted to all allegations contained in the petition to revoke. The District Court
sentenced Mittelstedter to the DOC for 5 years in DC 02-80, and to the DOC for 7 years
in DC 02-93. In DC 04-248, Mittelstedter was sentenced on Count 1 to the DOC for
5 years, and on Count 2 to the DOC for 7 years.2 All sentences were to run concurrently.
For the third time, the District Court ordered Mittelstedter to pay $8,559.30 in restitution.
Again, Mittelstedter did not object to reimposition of the restitution.
¶7 Mittelstedter argues on appeal that because his revocation and sentence on Count 1
was illegal, the judgment in its entirety is “void” and thus any garnishment collected by
the DOC and/or MSP should be “refunded.” The State maintains that the District Court’s
reimposition of the $8,559.30 restitution obligation was a condition of the original
sentence. The State maintains that that the District Court did not exceed its statutory
mandate and that the restitution obligation was therefore not illegally imposed on
Count 2.
¶8 We review a criminal sentence for legality to determine whether the sentence is
within statutory parameters. State v. Adams, 2013 MT 189, ¶ 11, 371 Mont. 28, 305 P.3d
808 (citing State v. Seals, 2007 MT 71, ¶ 7, 336 Mont. 416, 156 P.3d 15). Here, the
2 We have already addressed the legality of the sentence imposed on Count 1 above.
4 District Court did not exceed its statutory authority when it revoked Mittelstedter’s
sentence on Count 2 and ordered him to pay $8,559.30 in restitution. If a court finds that
an offender has violated the terms and conditions of the suspended sentence, the court
may revoke the suspension of sentence and require the offender to serve the sentence
imposed. Section 46-18-203(7)(a)(iii), MCA. For Count 2, the District Court originally
sentenced Mittelstedter to a 15-year commitment at MSP, with 15 years suspended
subject to conditions, including the condition that Mittelstedter pay all financial
obligations as required by the order. The District Court did not apportion the $8,559.30
restitution amount to each of the three counts contained in DC 04-248, and Mittelstedter
did not object to the District Court’s failure to do so either at his first revocation hearing
in December 2007, or at his second revocation hearing in July 2013. It is well settled that
“[t]his Court considers issues presented for the first time to be untimely and will not
consider them on appeal.” State v. Godfrey, 2009 MT 60, ¶ 41, 349 Mont. 335, 203 P.3d
834 (citing State v. Ferguson, 2005 MT 343, ¶ 38, 330 Mont. 103, 126 P.3d 463).
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August 12 2014
DA 13-0566
IN THE SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF MONTANA
2014 MT 217N
STATE OF MONTANA,
Plaintiff and Appellee,
v.
JASON MITTELSTEDTER,
Defendant and Appellant.
APPEAL FROM: District Court of the Eighteenth Judicial District, In and For the County of Gallatin, Cause No. DC 02-80B Honorable Mike Salvagni, Presiding Judge
COUNSEL OF RECORD:
For Appellant:
Robin A. Meguire, Attorney at Law, Great Falls, Montana
For Appellee:
Timothy C. Fox, Montana Attorney General, Brenda K. Elias, Assistant Attorney General, Helena, Montana
Marty Lambert, Gallatin County Attorney, Bozeman, Montana
Submitted on Briefs: July 2, 2014 Decided: August 12, 2014
Filed:
__________________________________________ Clerk Justice Laurie McKinnon delivered the Opinion of the Court. ¶1 Pursuant to Section I, Paragraph 3(d), Montana Supreme Court Internal Operating
Rules, this case is decided by memorandum opinion and shall not be cited and does not
serve as precedent. Its case title, cause number, and disposition shall be included in this
Court’s quarterly list of noncitable cases published in the Pacific Reporter and the
Montana Reports.
¶2 Jason Mittelstedter filed a consolidated appeal of three district court cause
numbers from the Eighteenth Judicial District Court, Gallatin County: DC 02-80,
DC 02-93, and DC 04-248. However, Mittelstedter only raises on appeal issues that
relate to his sentencing on revocation in DC 04-248. We affirm in part, reverse in part,
and remand for limited proceedings consistent with this Opinion.
¶3 In 2004, the State charged Mittelstedter with felony theft (Count 1), felony
burglary (Count 2), and misdemeanor theft, common scheme (Count 3) after he
fraudulently charged $3,997.32 worth of equipment to three hardware and lumber stores
in Bozeman, burglarized a Bozeman residence, and caused $4,561.98 worth of damages
when he broke into and stole items from numerous vehicles. On December 23, 2004,
Mittelstedter signed an acknowledgement and waiver of rights and pleaded guilty to all
charges against him. In February 2005, Mittelstedter received the following sentences,
which were ordered to run concurrently: a 3-year commitment to the Department of
Corrections (DOC) for Count 1; a 15-year commitment to Montana State Prison (MSP)
with all time suspended for Count 2; and a 180-day commitment in the Gallatin County
Detention Center with all time suspended for Count 3. As a condition of the suspended
2 sentences Mittelstedter was ordered to pay $8,559.30 in restitution. The judgment did not
specify that restitution was being ordered pursuant to any particular count, but rather
required restitution be paid as a condition of the consolidated judgment. Mittelstedter
did not object to the manner in which restitution was imposed.
¶4 In December 2007, the District Court revoked Mittelstedter’s felony sentences on
Counts 1 and 2.1 Prior to sentencing, Mittelstedter signed an acknowledgement and
waiver of rights in which he admitted to all allegations contained in the petition to
revoke. The State recommended that only Count 2 be revoked, and that Mittelstedter be
committed to the DOC for 15 years with 10 years suspended “upon the normal terms and
conditions of the court including that the defendant pay all financial obligations
previously ordered by the court.” The District Court, however, sentenced Mittelstedter
on both counts to concurrent DOC commitments with credit for time served of 10 years
with 5 years suspended for Count 1, and 15 years with 10 years suspended for Count 2.
The court ordered Mittelstedter, for the second time, to pay $8,559.30 in restitution.
Mittelstedter did not object to reimposition of restitution.
¶5 The record shows that Mittelstedter’s 3-year commitment on Count 1 was
discharged on October 17, 2007. As noted above, the State filed its petitions to revoke in
December 2007. As a matter of law, a discharged sentence cannot be revoked. See
generally § 46-18-203, MCA. Thus, the District Court did not have authority to
resentence Mittelstedter on Count 1 once that sentence had been discharged. The State
concedes this point. We therefore reverse and remand on Count 1, with instructions to
1 Mittelstedter had already served his sentence of 180 days on Count 3.
3 vacate all sentences imposed on Count 1 subsequent to Mittelstedter’s discharge of that
sentence on October 17, 2007.
¶6 On July 8, 2013, the District Court considered, during a consolidated revocation
hearing, the State’s petition to revoke in DC 02-80, DC 02-93, and DC 04-248. Prior to
sentencing, Mittelstedter signed an acknowledgement and waiver of rights in which he
admitted to all allegations contained in the petition to revoke. The District Court
sentenced Mittelstedter to the DOC for 5 years in DC 02-80, and to the DOC for 7 years
in DC 02-93. In DC 04-248, Mittelstedter was sentenced on Count 1 to the DOC for
5 years, and on Count 2 to the DOC for 7 years.2 All sentences were to run concurrently.
For the third time, the District Court ordered Mittelstedter to pay $8,559.30 in restitution.
Again, Mittelstedter did not object to reimposition of the restitution.
¶7 Mittelstedter argues on appeal that because his revocation and sentence on Count 1
was illegal, the judgment in its entirety is “void” and thus any garnishment collected by
the DOC and/or MSP should be “refunded.” The State maintains that the District Court’s
reimposition of the $8,559.30 restitution obligation was a condition of the original
sentence. The State maintains that that the District Court did not exceed its statutory
mandate and that the restitution obligation was therefore not illegally imposed on
Count 2.
¶8 We review a criminal sentence for legality to determine whether the sentence is
within statutory parameters. State v. Adams, 2013 MT 189, ¶ 11, 371 Mont. 28, 305 P.3d
808 (citing State v. Seals, 2007 MT 71, ¶ 7, 336 Mont. 416, 156 P.3d 15). Here, the
2 We have already addressed the legality of the sentence imposed on Count 1 above.
4 District Court did not exceed its statutory authority when it revoked Mittelstedter’s
sentence on Count 2 and ordered him to pay $8,559.30 in restitution. If a court finds that
an offender has violated the terms and conditions of the suspended sentence, the court
may revoke the suspension of sentence and require the offender to serve the sentence
imposed. Section 46-18-203(7)(a)(iii), MCA. For Count 2, the District Court originally
sentenced Mittelstedter to a 15-year commitment at MSP, with 15 years suspended
subject to conditions, including the condition that Mittelstedter pay all financial
obligations as required by the order. The District Court did not apportion the $8,559.30
restitution amount to each of the three counts contained in DC 04-248, and Mittelstedter
did not object to the District Court’s failure to do so either at his first revocation hearing
in December 2007, or at his second revocation hearing in July 2013. It is well settled that
“[t]his Court considers issues presented for the first time to be untimely and will not
consider them on appeal.” State v. Godfrey, 2009 MT 60, ¶ 41, 349 Mont. 335, 203 P.3d
834 (citing State v. Ferguson, 2005 MT 343, ¶ 38, 330 Mont. 103, 126 P.3d 463).
Furthermore, Mittelstedter has failed to provide any authority to support his proposition
that the restitution imposed pursuant to the judgment exceeded statutory parameters and
was thus illegal. In resentencing Mittelstedter on Count 2, the District Court did nothing
more than order Mittelstedter to serve the sentence for Count 2 as originally imposed,
which included a requirement that he pay $8,559.30 in restitution.
¶9 We have determined to decide this case pursuant to Section I, Paragraph 3(d) of
our Internal Operating Rules, which provides for noncitable memorandum opinions. The
restitution issue in this case is legal and is controlled by settled Montana law, which the
5 District Court correctly interpreted. The District Court is affirmed as to this issue. This
case is reversed in part and remanded to the District Court with instructions to vacate any
sentence imposed on Count 1 of DC 04-284, following October 17, 2007.
¶10 Affirmed in part, reversed in part, and remanded with instructions.
/S/ LAURIE McKINNON
We Concur:
/S/ MIKE McGRATH /S/ BETH BAKER /S/ JAMES JEREMIAH SHEA /S/ MICHAEL E WHEAT