State v. Theriot

893 So. 2d 1016, 2005 WL 291553
CourtLouisiana Court of Appeal
DecidedFebruary 9, 2005
Docket04-897, 04-898
StatusPublished
Cited by17 cases

This text of 893 So. 2d 1016 (State v. Theriot) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Louisiana Court of Appeal primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
State v. Theriot, 893 So. 2d 1016, 2005 WL 291553 (La. Ct. App. 2005).

Opinion

893 So.2d 1016 (2005)

STATE of Louisiana
v.
Kevin THERIOT.

Nos. 04-897, 04-898.

Court of Appeal of Louisiana, Third Circuit.

February 9, 2005.

*1017 Edward K. Bauman, Louisiana Appellate Project, Lake Charles, LA, for Appellant, Kevin Theriot.

Walter J. Senette, Jr., Assistant District Attorney, St. Mary Parish Courthouse, Franklin, LA, for Appellee, State of Louisiana.

Court composed of SYLVIA R. COOKS, JIMMIE C. PETERS, and J. DAVID PAINTER, Judges.

COOKS, Judge.

STATEMENT OF THE CASE

On June 27, 2002, the Defendant, Kevin Theriot, was charged by a bill of information *1018 with production and manufacture of a schedule II controlled dangerous substance, namely methamphetamine, in violation of La.R.S. 40:967(A)(1); theft of goods over $500.00, in violation of La.R.S. 14:67; possession of a schedule IV controlled dangerous substance, namely diazepam, in violation of La.R.S. 40:969(C); and reckless handling of hazardous materials, in violation of La.R.S. 32:1518. The Defendant was arraigned on July 7, 2002 and entered pleas of not guilty to the charges.

On October 1, 2002, the Defendant was charged by a bill of information with conspiracy to produce and manufacture a schedule II controlled dangerous substance, namely methamphetamine, in violation of La.R.S. 40:967(A)(1) and La.R.S. 14:26 and with reckless handling of hazardous materials, in violation of La.R.S. 32:1518. The Defendant entered pleas of not guilty to the charges.

On February 5, 2004, the Defendant changed his pleas of not guilty to pleas of guilty pursuant to a plea bargain with the State. The State agreed to dismiss the charges of theft, possession of diazepam and reckless handling of hazardous materials from the first bill of information and agreed to dismiss the charge of reckless handling of hazardous materials from the second bill of information. Pursuant to the plea bargain, the Defendant pled guilty to two counts of attempted production and manufacture of methamphetamine.[1]

On March 26, 2004, the Defendant was sentenced to fourteen years at hard labor on each count with all but seven years suspended with each sentence to run concurrently with the other sentence. The trial court further ordered the Defendant be placed on three years probation with the following specific conditions: (1) he report to his probation officer within ten days of his release from prison; (2) he pay $60.00 per month supervision fee, a fine of $5,000.00 and the cost of prosecution in the amount of $250.00; (3) he will not use any alcohol or drugs during the time of his probation; and (4) he not frequent any bar or casino during the period of his probation. At sentencing, the Defendant's trial counsel made an oral motion to reconsider the sentence, which was denied.

The pleas and sentencing under each lower court docket number were conducted jointly in the lower court and were part of the same plea agreement. The two appeals lodged with this court were consolidated. The Defendant is now before this court alleging the sentence imposed was excessive. For the reasons assigned below, we affirm the sentence of the Defendant but remand for the trial court to establish a payment plan for the fine and costs ordered as conditions of probation.

STATEMENT OF THE FACTS

The facts indicate the Defendant, Kevin Theriot, was a truck driver employed by Lynn Romero. He began using methamphetamine, and when the habit became too expensive, he began stealing from farmers for the purpose of manufacturing the drug. The Louisiana State Police obtained information from area farmers they were being burglarized at night and their anhydrous ammonia tanks were being tapped for anhydrous ammonia. The officers conducted surveillance and noticed that there was a light near the anhydrous ammonia tank of a farm. When they approached the scene, the Defendant along with Corey Duhon, fled. The Defendant was subsequently located and was found to be in possession of a rubber hose and a propane tank used in the theft. The Defendant's residence was *1019 subsequently searched, where the officers located additional items used in the manufacture and processing of methamphetamine. He was arrested and mirandized and confessed to the thefts and to manufacturing methamphetamine.

ERRORS PATENT

In accordance with La.Code Crim.P. art. 920, all appeals are reviewed for errors patent on the face of the record. After reviewing the record, we find the following errors. First, in docket number 04-898, the Defendant pled guilty to a nonresponsive offense. The Defendant was originally charged with conspiracy to produce and manufacture methamphetamine and pled guilty to attempted manufacturing of methamphetamine. According to La.Code Crim.P. art. 814(A)(57), the only responsive verdicts to a charge of conspiracy to violate any provision of the uniform controlled dangerous substances law are guilty and not guilty. Thus, attempted manufacturing of methamphetamine is not a responsive offense to conspiracy to manufacture methamphetamine. At the guilty plea proceeding, the trial court stated that the bill of information would be amended to attempted manufacturing of methamphetamine. The bill of information contained in the record, however, does not indicate that the charge of conspiracy to produce and manufacture methamphetamine was amended to attempted manufacturing of methamphetamine. Thus, the Defendant pled guilty to a crime that was not responsive to the offense charged in the bill of information.

This court was faced with a similar issue in State v. Collins, 03-388 (La.App. 3 Cir. 10/8/03), 865 So.2d 117. This court addressed the issue as follows:

In State v. Charles, 02-0443 (La.App. 3 Cir. 10/2/02), 827 So.2d 553, writ denied, 02-2707 (La.3/28/03), 840 So.2d 569, the defendant was charged with distribution of cocaine, but pled guilty to an amended charge of possession with the intent to distribute cocaine, which this court found was a nonresponsive offense. See also State v. Starks, 615 So.2d 943 (La.App. 1 Cir.1993). Defendant, thus, pled guilty to a nonresponsive offense; and this court found it was an error for the State not to amend the bill of information. See La.Code Crim.P. art. 814.
In State v. Richard, 99-1078 (La.App. 3 Cir. 12/27/00), 779 So.2d 927, this court recognized as error patent the defendant's plea to a nonresponsive crime. In addressing the error, we stated:
According to this court in State v. Price, [461 So.2d 503 (La.App. 3 Cir.1984)] the State should have amended the bill of information to reflect the Defendant's plea to the nonresponsive offense, which the State did not do in the instant case. However, later, in State v. Rito, [96-1444 (La.App. 3 Cir. 10/8/97), 700 So.2d 1169] this court stated that, neither a statute, nor the constitution required the prosecution to amend the bill of information before a defendant can plead guilty to a nonresponsive crime. The court stated:
It is well settled that a defendant may plead guilty to a crime nonresponsive to the original indictment as long as the district attorney accepts it. La.Code Crim.P. art. 487(B) and State v. Price, 461 So.2d 503 (La.App. 3 Cir.1984). Further, the state is not constitutionally or statutorily required to amend the information before the defendant can plead to a nonresponsive offense. Price, 461 So.2d 503 (Knoll, J., dissenting).

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

Related

State of Louisiana v. George McKinney, Jr.
Louisiana Court of Appeal, 2022
State of Louisiana v. Edward Garriet, III
Louisiana Court of Appeal, 2022
State of Louisiana v. Terry Len Joseph
Louisiana Court of Appeal, 2021
State of Louisiana v. Robert Lee Belsha
Louisiana Court of Appeal, 2018
State v. McAdory
237 So. 3d 539 (Louisiana Court of Appeal, 2018)
State of Louisiana v. Kelvin Latrial McAdory
Louisiana Court of Appeal, 2018
State v. Mace
258 So. 3d 658 (Louisiana Court of Appeal, 2017)
State of Louisiana v. Christopher Shon MacE
Louisiana Court of Appeal, 2017
State v. Frank
192 So. 3d 888 (Louisiana Court of Appeal, 2016)
State of Louisiana v. Skylar Frank
Louisiana Court of Appeal, 2016
State of Louisiana v. Tavares Charles
Louisiana Court of Appeal, 2016
State of Louisiana v. Cody Lane Crittenden
Louisiana Court of Appeal, 2014
State of Louisiana v. Markell Roberts
Louisiana Court of Appeal, 2014
State v. Arisme
123 So. 3d 1259 (Louisiana Court of Appeal, 2013)
State of Louisiana v. Jean-Luc Arisme
Louisiana Court of Appeal, 2013
State v. Balentine
119 So. 3d 979 (Louisiana Court of Appeal, 2013)
State of Louisiana v. Kenneth Wayne Randolph
Louisiana Court of Appeal, 2013
State of Louisiana v. Robera Cartrell Milo
Louisiana Court of Appeal, 2011
State v. LaCombe
25 So. 3d 1002 (Louisiana Court of Appeal, 2009)
State of Louisiana v. Cody Lacombe
Louisiana Court of Appeal, 2009

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
893 So. 2d 1016, 2005 WL 291553, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-theriot-lactapp-2005.