State v. Sims

2012 Ohio 238
Ohio Court of Appeals·Decided January 9, 2012·No. 10CA17·Published·Cited by 15 cases

Opinion

IN THE COURT OF APPEALS OF OHIO FOURTH APPELLATE DISTRICT GALLIA COUNTY

State of Ohio, :

:

Plaintiff-Appellee, :

: Case No. 10CA17 v. :

: DECISION AND

Travis Wade Sims, : JUDGMENT ENTRY :

Defendant-Appellant. : Filed: January 9, 2012

APPEARANCES:

Timothy Young, State Public Defender, and E. Kelly Mihocik, Assistant State Public Defender, Columbus, Ohio, for Appellant.

C. Jeffrey Adkins, Gallia County Prosecutor, and Pat Story, Gallia County Assistant Prosecutor, Gallipolis, Ohio, for Appellee.

Kline, J.:

{¶1} Travis Sims appeals the judgment of the Gallia County Court of Common Pleas. After a jury trial, Sims was convicted of aggravated robbery. Sims contends that, for various reasons, the trial court abused its discretion when it imposed a ten-year prison sentence on Sims. Because the trial court used an element of Sims’ offense to find Sims’ conduct more serious for sentencing purposes, we agree. Accordingly, we vacate Sims’ sentence and remand this cause for resentencing. Next, Sims contends that he was denied the opportunity for meaningful appellate review because the trial court did not state its justification for imposing the maximum possible sentence. Because we vacated Sims’ sentence, we find this issue moot. Next, Sims contends that he received ineffective assistance of counsel because his trial counsel did not challenge

the trial court’s imposition of a grossly disparate and disproportionate sentence. Again, because we vacated Sims’ sentence, we find this issue moot. Next, Sims contends that the trial court erred because it imposed a six-month repayment period for Sims to repay court costs in its judgment entry but failed to inform Sims of the repayment period at his sentencing hearing. Because the trial court is not required to impose the repayment period at the sentencing hearing, we disagree. Finally, Sims contends that his conviction for aggravated robbery is against the manifest weight of the evidence. Because there was substantial evidence upon which the jury could have reasonably concluded that all the elements of Sims’ aggravated robbery offense were proven beyond a reasonable doubt, we disagree.

{¶2} Accordingly, we affirm, in part, and reverse, in part, the judgment of the trial court.

I.

{¶3} On April 3, 2010, Sims visited Wal-Mart with his friend, Lee Bryan, and some other individuals. Shortly after entering the store, Sims separated from the others. Sims used a pocket knife to remove a wristwatch from its plastic packaging. Sims put the watch on his wrist, and Sims attempted to exit Wal-Mart without paying for the watch.

{¶4} Barney Mulnar was working as a loss prevention officer for Wal-Mart on the day in question. Mulnar was dressed in plainclothes, and he and his partner observed Sims’ theft of the watch. Shortly after Sims passed the last point of sale, Mulnar confronted Sims. Mulnar testified that he identified himself to Sims as a Wal- Mart loss prevention officer. According to Mulnar, Sims seemed to cooperate for a

moment, but then Sims instigated an altercation with Mulnar. Sims punched Mulnar in the ear. Mulnar grabbed Sims during the struggle, and Sims’ shirt ripped as a result. At some point, Sims swung his knife at Mulnar. Sims broke free of Mulnar, and Sims fled on foot across Wal-Mart’s parking lot.

{¶5} Bryan was exiting Wal-Mart with Sims, and Bryan witnessed Sims’

altercation with Mulnar. Bryan claimed that Mulnar did not identify himself as a loss prevention officer. Bryan testified that he was unaware that Sims had stolen the watch, and Bryan thought that Mulnar was a stranger attacking Sims.

{¶6} Bryan and Sims left Wal-Mart’s parking lot in Bryan’s car. A police officer initiated a traffic stop on Bryan’s car shortly after the incident between Sims and Mulnar. Sims was in Bryan’s car, and the police arrested Sims without incident. Sims cooperated with police, and he admitted that he stole the watch and some socks from Wal-Mart.

{¶7} A grand jury indicted Sims for aggravated robbery, in violation of R.C.

2911.01(A)(1). At trial, the jury found Sims guilty, and the trial court sentenced Sims to ten years in prison, which was the maximum possible prison sentence for Sims’ conviction.

{¶8} Sims appeals and asserts the following assignments of error: I. “The trial court abused its discretion when it sentenced Mr. Sims to the maximum sentence for aggravated robbery based upon its finding that Mr. Sims brandished a knife while trying to flee.” II. “The trial court foreclosed Mr. Sims’s constitutional right to meaningful appellate review of his sentence by failing to state on the record its justification for imposing a ten-year maximum sentence.” III. “Mr. Sims received the ineffective

assistance of trial counsel because his attorney did not challenge the court’s imposition of the grossly disparate and disproportionate sentence that the trial court imposed on Mr. Sims.” IV. “The sentencing entry ordered Mr. Sims to pay the costs of prosecution within six months of his release from prison. But the trial court did not notify Mr. Sims of that time limitation at his sentencing hearing. The trial court may not impose a sentence in a judgment entry that is different from the sentence which is imposed at the defendant’s sentencing hearing.” And, V. “The jury lost its way when it convicted Mr. Sims of aggravated robbery. There was no credible evidence that Mr. Sims was fleeing from a theft offense or that he brandished a deadly weapon while fleeing from a theft offense.”

II.

{¶9} In his first assignment of error, Sims argues that the trial court abused its discretion when it sentenced him to the maximum sentence allowed for an aggravated robbery conviction. Sims advances two arguments under this assignment of error: (1) he contends that the trial court used an element of Sims’ aggravated robbery offense to justify finding the offense was more serious for sentencing purposes, and (2) he contends that his sentence imposes an unnecessary burden on the State of Ohio’s resources.

{¶10} “Appellate courts ‘apply a two-step approach [to review a sentence]. First, [we] must examine the sentencing court’s compliance with all applicable rules and statutes in imposing the sentence to determine whether the sentence is clearly and convincingly contrary to law. If this first prong is satisfied, the trial court’s decision shall be reviewed under an abuse-of-discretion standard.’” State v. Smith, 4th Dist. No.

08CA6, 2009-Ohio-716, ¶ 8, quoting State v. Kalish, 120 Ohio St.3d 23, 2008-Ohio- 4912, 896 N.E.2d 124, ¶ 4 (alterations in original). “The term ‘abuse of discretion’ connotes more than an error of law or of judgment; it implies that the court’s attitude is unreasonable, arbitrary or unconscionable.” State v. Adams, 62 Ohio St.2d 151, 157, 404 N.E.2d 144 (1980).

{¶11} In analyzing whether a sentence is contrary to law, “[t]he only specific guideline is that the sentence must be within the statutory range[.]” State v. Welch, 4th Dist. No. 08CA29, 2009-Ohio-2655, ¶ 7, quoting State v. Ross, 4th Dist. No. 08CA872, 2009-Ohio-877, ¶ 10. Here, the jury found Sims guilty of aggravated robbery, which is a first-degree felony. See R.C. 2911.01(A) & (C). Consequently, Sims faced up to ten years in prison. See the former R.C. 2929.14(A)(1). (The maximum prison sentence for a first-degree felony is now eleven years. See the current R.C. 2929.14(A)(1), which became effective September 30, 2011.) Thus, Sims’ ten-year sentence was within the statutory range for Sims’ aggravated robbery conviction.

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