State v. Rogowski

634 P.2d 387, 130 Ariz. 99, 1981 Ariz. LEXIS 229
CourtArizona Supreme Court
DecidedSeptember 23, 1981
Docket5240
StatusPublished
Cited by10 cases

This text of 634 P.2d 387 (State v. Rogowski) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Arizona Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
State v. Rogowski, 634 P.2d 387, 130 Ariz. 99, 1981 Ariz. LEXIS 229 (Ark. 1981).

Opinion

CAMERON, Justice.

Defendant appeals from his convictions and sentences following the entry of guilty pleas to four counts of third degree burglary, A.R.S. § 13-1506; three counts of felony theft, A.R.S. § 13-1802; one count of misdemeanor theft, A.R.S. § 13-1802; and one count of trafficking in stolen property, A.R.S. § 13-2307. We assumed jurisdiction pursuant to Rule 47(e)(5), Rules of the Supreme Court, 17A A.R.S.

We must decide three questions:
1. Was the sentence as to trafficking in stolen property double punishment?
2. Were the pleas of guilty intelligently and voluntarily made, and was there a factual basis for the guilty pleas?
3. Did the trial court err in sentencing the defendant to prison terms for seven counts and probation for the remaining two counts, the sentences to be served concurrently?

In January of 1979, three shops in the Shanty Town Shopping Mall in Showlow, Arizona, were burglarized and property was taken. The following April, the Tawa Indian Jewelry Store, also in Showlow, was burglarized and property valued in excess of $40,000, including Indian rugs, kachina dolls and Indian jewelry was stolen. On 11 August 1979, the owners of the Tawa store observed the defendant selling their stolen items at the Tanque Verde Swap Meet in Tucson, Arizona.

The defendant was arrested and after signing a waiver of Miranda rights, was questioned by the police. He admitted that he broke into the Shanty Town shops and the Tawa store and removed merchandise which he loaded into his truck. He then transported the stolen items to Tucson where he sold them.

On 20 August 1979, the defendant was indicted on all of the charges listed above except trafficking in stolen property. On 10 January 1980, pursuant to a plea agreement, the defendant pled guilty to eight counts of theft and burglary and an additional count of trafficking in stolen property. One of the inducements for the plea agreement appears to have been the promise that all sentences would be served concurrently and not consecutively. He was sentenced to prison terms of two years for each burglary count, five years for each of the two theft counts, and six months jail time for misdemeanor theft. On the remaining theft count, the defendant received five years probation, and on the trafficking in stolen property count, seven years probation, all sentences to be served concurrently.

DOUBLE CONVICTIONS AND PUNISHMENT

The charge of trafficking in stolen property first appears in the plea agreement, though without citation to any criminal statute. There appears to be, however, only one crime of trafficking in stolen property, A.R.S. § 13-2307, and there is no indication that defendant was misled as to the crime to which he pled guilty. It is not necessary that the statement of the crime *101 cite the statute, only that the defendant be adequately apprised of the offense. State ex rel Purcell v. Superior Court, 111 Ariz. 418, 531 P.2d 541 (1975).

Defendant contends, however, that he was subjected to double convictions and double punishments because the elements of count nine, trafficking in stolen property, are part of the element of the other crimes to which he also pled guilty. We do not agree.

A.R.S. § 13-116 (previously § 13-1641) bars double punishment for “an act or omission which is made punishable in different ways by different sections of the laws * * The provision also bars double convictions for one act or offense. State v. Castro, 2ÍJ Ariz.App. 323, 554 P.2d 919 (1976).

The “identical elements” test is utilized to determine whether a defendant committed only one act for which only one punishment can be imposed or whether the defendant’s conduct consisted of separate acts for which separate punishments are possible. State v. Tinghitella, 108 Ariz. 1, 491 P.2d 834 (1972). The test is applied by eliminating the elements of one charge and then determining whether the remaining facts support the additional charges. State v. Gordon, 125 Ariz. 425, 610 P.2d 59 (1980); State v. Tinghitella, supra.

In the instant case, the defendant was convicted of third degree burglary, theft, and trafficking in stolen property. The elements of third degree burglary are entering a non-residential structure with the intent to commit any theft or felony therein. A.R.S. § 13-1506(A). Theft is committed when a person unlawfully controls the property of another with the intent to deprive another of such property. A.R.S. § 13-1802(A). Trafficking in stolen property is selling stolen property of another or obtaining stolen property with the intent to sell it to another person. A.R.S. § 13-2301(B)(3) and § 13-2307(B). After eliminating the elements of the burglaries and the thefts, the elements of trafficking remain. In fact, in the instant case, the crimes of burglary and theft had all been completed before the crime of trafficking had commenced. The double punishment statute does not apply. We find no error.

VALIDITY OF THE PLEAS

Because guilty pleas directly result in convictions, the court must determine that the pleas are entered voluntarily and intelligently. Boykin v. Alabama, 395 U.S. 238, 89 S.Ct. 1709, 23 L.Ed.2d 274 (1969). The court must also establish that there is a factual basis for the offenses to which the defendant is entering the pleas. State v. Smith, 123 Ariz. 231, 599 P.2d 187 (1979); Rule 17.3, Rules of Criminal Procedure, 17 A.R.S.

Defendant asserts that the trial court did not establish that the pleas were voluntary and intelligent because the court did not ascertain whether the defendant knew the individual elements of each crime for which he was charged, and that the court did not find that there was a factual basis for the pleas.

We have held that except for special circumstances, see Henderson v. Morgan,

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Bluebook (online)
634 P.2d 387, 130 Ariz. 99, 1981 Ariz. LEXIS 229, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-rogowski-ariz-1981.