State v. Pessolano

778 A.2d 1153, 343 N.J. Super. 464
CourtNew Jersey Superior Court Appellate Division
DecidedAugust 6, 2001
StatusPublished
Cited by15 cases

This text of 778 A.2d 1153 (State v. Pessolano) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering New Jersey Superior Court Appellate Division primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
State v. Pessolano, 778 A.2d 1153, 343 N.J. Super. 464 (N.J. Ct. App. 2001).

Opinion

778 A.2d 1153 (2001)
343 N.J. Super. 464

STATE of New Jersey, Plaintiff-Respondent,
v.
Richard PESSOLANO, Defendant-Appellant.

Superior Court of New Jersey, Appellate Division.

Submitted May 22, 2001.
Decided August 6, 2001.

*1154 Peter A. Garcia, Acting Public Defender, attorney for appellant (Jay L. Wilensky, Assistant Deputy Public Defender, of counsel and on the brief).

John J. Farmer, Jr., Attorney General, attorney for respondent (Bennett A. Barlyn, Deputy Attorney General, of counsel and on the brief).

Appellant filed a pro se supplemental brief.

Before Judges STERN, A.A. RODRÍGUEZ and FALL.

The opinion of the court was delivered by STERN, P.J.A.D.

Tried to a jury, defendant was found not guilty of misconduct by a corporate official, N.J.S.A. 2C:21-9c and 2C:2-6 (count one), but convicted on two counts of theft by failure to make required disposition of property received, N.J.S.A. 2C:20-9, 2C:2-6 and 2C:2-7 (counts two and three);[1]*1155 misapplication of entrusted property and property of government, N.J.S.A. 2C:21-15, 2C:2-6 and 2C:2-7 (counts four and five); failure to turn over employer withholding taxes, N.J.S.A. 54:52-15, 2C:2-6, and 2C:2-7 (count six); failure to file two personal gross income tax returns, N.J.S.A. 54:52-8 (counts seven and eight); and failure to file a corporation business tax return, N.J.S.A. 54:52-8 and N.J.S.A. 2C:2-7 (count nine).

The conviction on counts two and four related to the retention and non-payment of New Jersey unemployment and disability insurance contributions of General Machine and Instrument Co. employees in an amount greater than $75,000 in 1991 and 1992. The convictions on count three, five and six related to the non-payment of gross income withholding tax in 1990, 1991 and 1992. Counts seven and eight dealt with defendant's failure to file his New Jersey Gross Income Tax resident returns for 1991 and 1992 respectively, and count nine concerned defendant's failure to file a New Jersey State Corporation Business Tax return on behalf of N.C. Fabritech, Inc., for the year ending December 31, 1991.

Count two was merged into count four, and defendant was sentenced thereon to a term of eight years in the custody of the Commissioner of Corrections. Counts three and six were merged into count five, and defendant was given a five-year concurrent sentence on that conviction. $5,000 fines were imposed on counts seven, eight and nine, and defendant was ordered to pay $140,268.89 in restitution, "minus any amount paid by co-defendant, Warren Kaye."

On this appeal, defendant argues:

POINT ONE: THE TRIAL COURT'S ENTIRELY GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS COULD NOT HAVE ADEQUATELY GUIDED THE JURY. ADDITIONALLY, THE COURT COMPLETELY FAILED TO INSTRUCT THE JURY AS TO THE STANDARDS UNDER WHICH PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY CAN BE IMPOSED FOR CORPORATE ACTIONS, AND AS TO THE DEFENSE OF GOOD FAITH, NECESSITATING REVERSAL. (Not Raised Below)

A. The Trial Court Failed To Tailor the Jury Charges to the Complex Commercial Setting Of This Case.
B. The Trial Court Also Failed To Instruct The Jury That It Must Consider The Specific Liability Of The Defendant, And Failed To Provide Any Standards For Determining Whether the Defendant Was Appropriately Held Liable.
C. The Trial Court Also Failed to Instruct the Jury As To the "Good Faith Defense."
D. Reversal Is Required Despite The Failure To Request The Noted Charges.

POINT TWO: THE DEFENDANT'S SECOND-DEGREE CONVICTIONS ARISING FROM FAILURE TO REMIT UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE CONTRIBUTIONS ARE WITHOUT BASIS IN LAW AND MUST BE VACATED. (Not Raised Below)

POINT THREE: THE STATE FAILED TO PROVE SECOND-DEGREE FAILURE TO MAKE REQUIRED DISPOSITION OF PROPERTY RECEIVED OR MISAPPLICATION OF ENTRUSTED PROPERTY AND PROPERTY OF GOVERNMENT ARISING FROM FAILURE TO REMIT UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE CONTRIBUTIONS, BECAUSE THE MAJORITY OF THE REMITTANCES AT ISSUE WERE NEITHER *1156 OBTAINED NOR ENTRUSTED FUNDS. (Not Raised Below)

POINT FOUR: THE TRIAL COURT'S DENIAL OF THE DEFENDANT'S MOTION TO PROCEED PRO SE WAS ERRONEOUS AND HIGHLY PREJUDICIAL, NECESSITATING REVERSAL. U.S. Const., Amends. VI, XIV; N.J. Const. (1947), Art. 1, par 10.

POINT FIVE: THE TRIAL COURT ABUSED ITS DISCRETION BY FORCING THE DEFENDANT TO PROCEED TO TRIAL WITHOUT HAVING REVIEWED DOCUMENTATION IN THE STATE'S POSSESSION, NECESSITATING REVERSAL.

POINT SIX: THE ORDER OF RESTITUTION WAS IMPROPER IN THE ABSENCE OF A HEARING AS TO ABILITY TO PAY, AND INCORRECT AND UNJUST IN ITS JOINT AND SEVERAL ASPECT, AND ACCORDINGLY MUST BE VACATED. (Not Raised Below)

POINT SEVEN: THE TRIAL COURT IMPOSED AN EXCESSIVE SENTENCE, NECESSITATING REDUCTION.

Our review of the record convinces us that, except as noted in this opinion, these contentions are clearly without merit and warrant only the following discussion. See R. 2:11-3(e)(2).

I.

In 1988, defendant, co-defendant Warren Kaye ("Kaye") and NC Fabritech ("NCF"), a company owned by defendant and his family, formed GMI Holding, Inc., for the purpose of eventually acquiring a manufacturing company, General Machine and Instrument Co., Inc. ("GMI"), from the previous owners, the Stickling family. Kaye became president of GMI, and defendant served as vice-president. A management agreement was adopted in which the Sticklings would remain the owners of GMI and have two seats on the Board of Directors.[2] In addition, they agreed that NCF would receive 1% of GMI's "`shipments' as a `management fee.'"

GMI's main business from 1988 to 1991 was developing a manufacturing method for mainframe computer parts for IBM, GMI's principal customer. Kaye was responsible for managing the company, while defendant handled sales and manufacturing. Because GMI focused on research and development and had few sales, it was only marginally profitable at first.

In April 1988, Carol Capuano ("Capuano") was hired as GMI's financial manager, with responsibility for the company's finances, including accounts payable, billing, reports, income statements, tax returns and preparation of checks for tax payments. She also helped set up the company's accounting program. From 1988 to 1991, Kaye was responsible for overseeing the payment of all taxes, including state unemployment insurance taxes and employee withholding taxes.

In 1991, GMI's performance improved dramatically because IBM was buying most of the mainframe parts it manufactured. Further, defendant testified that a dispute concerning the Sticklings' use of funds led to a settlement agreement whereby the Sticklings resigned from the Board, and GMI Holding, Inc. acquired the right to appoint directors and officers. Thereafter, defendant unilaterally appointed himself president of GMI in February 1991. Kaye testified that he accepted defendant's appointment because the company was "starting to do well," while Capuano testified that defendant told her that *1157 Kaye was pushed out as president because the Sticklings were dissatisfied with his performance. In any event, Capuano testified that when defendant became president, "he took over personnel and all the financial responsibility" because Kaye was often absent from work. Prior to defendant's appointment, Capuano sought Kaye's authorization to make any payments required in the course of business.

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Bluebook (online)
778 A.2d 1153, 343 N.J. Super. 464, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-pessolano-njsuperctappdiv-2001.