State v. Seeley, Unpublished Decision (4-2-2007)

2007 Ohio 1538
CourtOhio Court of Appeals
DecidedApril 2, 2007
DocketNo. 14-06-38.
StatusUnpublished
Cited by6 cases

This text of 2007 Ohio 1538 (State v. Seeley, Unpublished Decision (4-2-2007)) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Ohio Court of Appeals primary law.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State v. Seeley, Unpublished Decision (4-2-2007), 2007 Ohio 1538 (Ohio Ct. App. 2007).

Opinion

OPINION *Page 2
{¶ 1} Defendant-Appellant Scott L. Seeley ("Seeley") appeals from the August 17, 2006 Journal Entry of Sentence of the Court of Common Pleas, Union County, Ohio terminating Seeley's community control and sentencing him to a prison term of four years.

{¶ 2} On May 6, 2004 a Union County Grand Jury indicted Seeley for one count of Tampering with Evidence, a felony of the third degree, in violation of R.C. 2921.12(A)(1), and one count of Illegal Cultivation of Marijuana, a felony of the third degree, in violation of R.C.2925.04(A).

{¶ 3} On June 21, 2004 Seeley voluntarily withdrew his former plea of not guilty and entered a plea of guilty to the charge of Tampering with Evidence, in violation of R.C. 2921.12(A)(1). The State of Ohio dismissed the charge of Illegal Cultivation of Marijuana. On July 19, 2004 this matter proceeded to sentencing, and the trial court sentenced Seeley to three years of community control for his conviction of Tampering with Evidence. Seeley did not appeal this sentence.

{¶ 4} On or about October 1, 2004 through October 5, 2004 Seeley violated the terms of his community control by leaving the state of Ohio without written permission from his probation officer and by testing positive for marijuana. On October 22, 2004 the trial court conducted a hearing on Seeley's probation violation charges. Seeley admitted the violation of his community *Page 3 control, and the trial court sentenced Seeley to four years in prison for the charge of Tampering with Evidence in violation of R.C.2921.12(A)(1), a felony of the third degree. Seeley did not appeal this sentence.

{¶ 5} On April 27, 2005 Seeley filed a motion for judicial release which was subsequently overruled by the trial court on May 2, 2005. On June 27, 2005 Seeley filed a pro se motion with this Court for delayed appeal of the trial court's October 22, 2004 sentence pursuant to App.R. 5(A). This motion for delayed appeal was overruled.

{¶ 6} On November 4, 2005 Seeley filed a pro se motion to withdraw his guilty plea. The trial court denied Seeley's motion to withdraw his guilty plea on November 8, 2005 and December 16, 2005. On November 23, 2005 Seeley filed an appeal with this court based upon the trial court's decision to overrule his motion to withdraw his guilty plea. On May 15, 2006 this court found that the trial court did not abuse its discretion in denying Seeley's motion to withdraw his guilty plea and affirmed the judgment of the trial court. (Case No. 14-05-53, 2006-Ohio-2376).

{¶ 7} On July 21, 2006 Seeley filed a pro se motion for re-sentencing based upon the decision of State v. Foster (2006), 109 Ohio St.3d 1,2006-Ohio-856. The trial court granted Seeley's motion for re-sentencing, appointed counsel for Seeley and scheduled the matter for re-sentencing on August 17, 2006. *Page 4

{¶ 8} In its Journal Entry dated August 17, 2006 the trial court terminated Seeley's community control and sentenced him to four years in prison with credit for 682 days already served.

{¶ 9} Seeley now appeals, asserting one assignment of error.

ASSIGNMENT OF ERROR
THE TRIAL COURT ERRED WHEN IT FAILED TO ADVISE APPELLANT OF A SPECIFIC PRISON SENTENCE HE WOULD RECEIVE IF HE VIOLATED THE TERMS OF HIS COMMUNITY CONTROL.

{¶ 10} In his sole assignment of error, Seeley argues that he was not properly notified of the particular sentence he would receive in the event he violated community control sanctions.

{¶ 11} Prior to addressing Seeley's assignment of error, we must first address the nature of this appeal.

{¶ 12} Seeley was initially sentenced to three years of community control for his conviction of Tampering with Evidence on July 19, 2004. However, we note that the record does not include a transcript of this sentencing hearing. Additionally, we note that the trial court's July 19, 2004 Journal Entry of Sentence did not notify Seeley of the specific prison term that would be imposed if he violated the terms of his community control. Instead, in paragraph nine of the Journal Entry, the court stated as follows:

"Defendant is hereby notified that if the conditions of community control are violated, the Court may impose a longer *Page 5 time under the same sanction, may impose a more restrictive sanction, or may impose a prison term on the Defendant in which event the Defendant could receive a maximum prison term of up to 5 years."

{¶ 13} In State v. Brooks (2004), 103 Ohio St.3d 134, 135,2004-Ohio-4746, the Supreme Court of Ohio addressed the issue of whether or not the second sentence of R.C. 2929.15(B), read in pari materia with the second sentence of R.C. 2929.19(B)(5), requires that a court sentencing a defendant to a community control sanction must, at the time of such sentencing, notify the defendant of the specific prison term it may impose for a violation of such sanction, as a prerequisite to imposing a prison term on the defendant for such a violation. InBrooks, at paragraphs one and two of the syllabus, the Supreme Court of Ohio stated as follows:

Pursuant to R.C. 2929.19(B)(5), a trial court sentencing an offender to a community control sanction is required to deliver the statutorily detailed notifications at the sentencing hearing. (State v. Comer, 99 Ohio St.3d 463, 2003-Ohio-4165, 793 N.E.2d 473, applied and followed.)

Pursuant to R.C. 2929.19(B)(5) and 2929.15(B), a trial court sentencing an offender to a community control sanction must, at the time of the sentencing, notify the offender of the specific prison term that may be imposed for a violation of the conditions of the sanction, as a prerequisite to imposing a prison term on the offender for a subsequent violation.

{¶ 14} It is undisputed that the trial court's July 19, 2004 Journal Entry of Sentence did not comply with the requirement that it notify Seeley of the specific *Page 6

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

State v. Ray
2020 Ohio 5465 (Ohio Court of Appeals, 2020)
State v. Hill
2018 Ohio 4647 (Ohio Court of Appeals, 2018)
State v. Cooper, 9-08-42 (4-27-2009)
2009 Ohio 1922 (Ohio Court of Appeals, 2009)
State v. Logsdon, 13-08-7 (9-22-2008)
2008 Ohio 4783 (Ohio Court of Appeals, 2008)
State v. Rogers, Ca2007-05-068 (12-28-2007)
2007 Ohio 7076 (Ohio Court of Appeals, 2007)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
2007 Ohio 1538, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-seeley-unpublished-decision-4-2-2007-ohioctapp-2007.