State v. Molina, Unpublished Decision (3-11-2004)

2004 Ohio 1110
CourtOhio Court of Appeals
DecidedMarch 11, 2004
DocketNo. 83166.
StatusUnpublished
Cited by11 cases

This text of 2004 Ohio 1110 (State v. Molina, Unpublished Decision (3-11-2004)) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Ohio Court of Appeals primary law.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State v. Molina, Unpublished Decision (3-11-2004), 2004 Ohio 1110 (Ohio Ct. App. 2004).

Opinion

JOURNAL ENTRY AND OPINION
{¶ 1} Iram Molina appeals from a sentence imposed by Judge Burt Griffin after he pleaded guilty to possession of drugs1 and sentenced to six months' imprisonment, and guilty to a separate count of possession of drugs2 and sentenced to a consecutive sentence of four years of community control sanctions. He claims that the judge failed to make the necessary findings for consecutive sentences, and that his rights against double jeopardy were violated when he was sentenced twice for the same crime. We disagree and affirm but remand for correction of journal entries.

{¶ 2} From the record we glean the following: In January 2001, police officers, patrolling in a zone car in the area of W. 38th Street and Denison Avenue, saw a speeding car, followed it until it backed into a driveway on W. 33rd Street, and positioned their car to block any exit. When the officers approached the car, it sped out of the driveway and the zone car gave chase until the car hit a guardrail. Although the driver ran from the car, three passengers were arrested, including Molina. When Molina was searched, five individually wrapped bags of suspected marijuana were found on his person. A search of the car revealed a large plastic bag containing 116 individually wrapped rocks of suspected crack cocaine in the front-left side of the car and a small bag with 26 rocks in the rear seat.

{¶ 3} The forensic lab determined that the drugs contained 18.53 grams of cocaine, and Molina was indicted on one count of possession of crack cocaine in an amount equal to or exceeding ten grams but less than twenty-five grams,3 and one count of drug trafficking in an amount equal to or exceeding ten grams but less than twenty-five grams,4 in CR-406690.5

{¶ 4} Four months after his initial arrest,6 Molina was again arrested at a Strongsville hotel in May 2001. Officers came to execute an arrest warrant and, after seeing his car in the parking lot, saw a man fitting his description walking out of room 126. When the police asked that man his name, Molina identified himself and was arrested. The police then knocked on the door of room 126, gained entry and found Molina's brother, Anthony, and Naomi Garcia, both of whom were wanted on active warrants. Anthony Molina ultimately showed police where three bundles of small blue bags containing white powdery substances, known as "speedballs," were located, and further searching revealed an electronic scale with white residue, a bag of rubber bands, and a box of plastic sandwich bags. Police also found razor blades, a small knife with white residue, various pills wrapped in a car registration with Molina's name on it, and $13,792 in cash.

{¶ 5} Molina was then indicted on one count of drug trafficking in an amount greater than five grams but less than ten grams7 with a juvenile specification, one count of drug possession of cocaine in an amount greater than five grams but less than twenty-five grams,8 and one count of possession of criminal tools in CR-408701.9

{¶ 6} In CR-406690, he pleaded guilty to the amended charge of drug possession of crack cocaine in an amount equal to or exceeding one gram but less than five grams,10 with all other charges dismissed; and, in CR-408701, he pleaded guilty to the amended charge of possession of cocaine in an amount less than five grams, with all remaining charges dismissed.11

{¶ 7} When Molina failed to appear for sentencing, a warrant was issued. In December 2002, Molina was arrested by Texas authorities and was extradited to Ohio. He was sentenced to six months in prison for case number CR-406690, and to a consecutive sentence of four years of "probation" with intensive supervision, with up to a year in prison "if it doesn't work out," in case number CR-408701.12

{¶ 8} After serving his prison sentence, Molina was returned to the county jail.13 In court, the judge reminded him that he was going to be under the "supervision of the intensive supervision program" for four years, that he would have to pay court costs, that there were ways to cut down the supervision to one year, and if he violated the terms of his "probation" he could be sent to the penitentiary for another year. When Molina's lawyer challenged the jurisdiction of the judge to impose any further conditions of probation and suggested, in light of what he viewed as the imposition of consecutive sentences, that the judge make findings under R.C. 2929.14(E), the judge made findings and gave reasons for the imposition of consecutive sentences. The instant appeal followed on the assignments of error as set forth in Appendix A.

JURISDICTION
{¶ 9} Molina did not appeal from the February 2003 order imposing both a prison term and community control sanctions during the single sentencing hearing on his two cases. In his appeal from the June 2003 judgment entry,14 he challenges what he characterizes as a sentencing or a "further sentencing," or a "consecutive sentence." He contends that the judge failed to make the requisite findings and reasons to support such consecutive sentences.

{¶ 10} We have held, in State v. Aiatakens,15 that R.C. 2929.13(A) provides the judge with the discretion to find community control sanctions appropriate for one offense, while a prison term would be appropriate for a separate offense, and make such sentences consecutive.

{¶ 11} Additionally, only when a judge imposes consecutive terms of imprisonment is he required to provide the findings and reasons mandated by R.C. 2929.14. During Molina's sentencing hearings, and at the request of Molina's lawyer during the second hearing, the judge, although not required to do so, delineated reasons for imposing the community control sanctions. If Molina is appealing the consecutive nature of his sentences, we have no jurisdiction over that issue because he failed to appeal the February 2003 order or obtain leave to file a delayed appeal.16 The first assignment of error is dismissed.

THE JUNE HEARING AND JUDGMENT ENTRY
{¶ 12} We look at Molina's contention that the June hearing put him in double jeopardy because he was being sentenced and punished twice for the same crime. Although he cites no facts in support of this contention, it appears that he claims that he was given both a term of imprisonment and community control sanctions for the same crime but fails to advise us about which of his two crimes he is being doubly punished.

{¶ 13}

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Bluebook (online)
2004 Ohio 1110, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-molina-unpublished-decision-3-11-2004-ohioctapp-2004.