State v. Wimbush

2016 Ohio 7567
Ohio Court of Appeals·Decided October 28, 2016·No. 15CA14·Published

Opinion

COURT OF APPEALS

RICHLAND COUNTY, OHIO

FIFTH APPELLATE DISTRICT

JUDGES:

STATE OF OHIO : Hon. Sheila G. Farmer,, P.J.

: Hon. W. Scott Gwin, J.

Plaintiff-Appellee : Hon. Patricia A. Delaney, J.

:

-vs- :

: Case No. 16CA14

THOMAS E. WIMBUSH :

:

Defendant-Appellant : OPINION

CHARACTER OF PROCEEDING: Criminal appeal from the Richland County Court of Common Pleas, Case No. 15-CR-

0452

JUDGMENT: Affirmed in part, Reversed in part and Remanded

DATE OF JUDGMENT ENTRY: October 28, 2016

APPEARANCES: For Plaintiff-Appellee For Defendant-Appellant

DANIEL ROGERS JEFFEREY STIFFLER Assistant Prosecuting Attorney 21 North Walnut Street Richland County Prosecutor’s Office Mansfield, OH 44902 38 S. Park Street Mansfield, OH 44902

Richland County, Case No. 16CA14 2 Gwin, J.,

{¶1} Appellant, Thomas Wimbush [“Wimbush”] appeals his convictions and sentences after a jury trial in the Richland County Court of Common Pleas for two counts of drug trafficking, in violation of R.C. 2925.03(A)(1) &(C)(4)(b), Count One being a felony of the fourth degree upon the jury’s verdict finding that the offense occurred within the vicinity of a juvenile, and Count Two being a felony of the fifth degree.

Facts and Procedural History

{¶2} On June 5 2014, Brian Boroski, a confidential informant with Metrich Enforcement Unit [“MEU”] since 1998, advised MEU detectives that he could execute a controlled buy of cocaine from Wimbush. Boroski reported to MEU and completed a controlled phone call with Wimbush. Boroski and Wimbush arranged for Boroski to purchase cocaine at Church's Chicken at 276 Park Avenue West in Mansfield.

{¶3} Following the controlled phone call, MEU Detective Blust searched Boroski's person and vehicle and confirmed that Boroski did not possess any contraband. MEU Detectives equipped Boroski with video and audio recording equipment and provided Boroski with $100.00 to purchase the drugs.

{¶4} Boroski proceeded to Church's Chicken driving his own vehicle. MEU Detectives Wheeler and Schivinski following in a second vehicle and MEU Detective Blust and Sergeant Petrycki followed in a third vehicle. Boroski parked in the parking lot of Church's Chicken. Detectives Wheeler and Schivinski parked in the parking lot of MVP Bar and Lounge across from Church's Chicken in order to observe the controlled buy. Detective Blust and Sergeant Petrycki remained mobile in the area around Church's Chicken in case of an emergency.

{¶5} Boroski made contact with Wimbush, who arrived at Church's Chicken in a Cadillac. Both Boroski and Detective Wheeler observed a small child sitting in the front passenger seat of Wimbush’s Cadillac.

{¶6} Wimbush exited the Cadillac and provided Boroski with cocaine wrapped in cellophane in exchange for $100.00. After a brief discussion regarding the amount and value of the cocaine, Boroski agreed to owe Wimbush at their next sale.

{¶7} Boroski and the MEU officers returned to MEU. Detective Wheeler de-

activated and removed Boroski's recording equipment. Detective Blust searched Boroski's person and vehicle and confirmed Boroski did not possess any contraband. Detective Wheeler collected the cocaine wrapped in cellophane and sent it to the MPD Crime Lab for testing. Detective Blust created a photo array including Wimbush's photograph. Boroski viewed the photo array and identified Wimbush as the person who sold him cocaine.

{¶8} Anthony Tambasco from the Mansfield Police Department Crime Lab completed a Report of Analysis confirming the substance in cellophane sold to Boroski by Wimbush on June 5, 2014 as .95 grams of cocaine.

{¶9} On June 17, 2014, Boroski reported to MEU and conducted several controlled phone calls with Wimbush. During the calls, Boroski and Wimbush discussed the controlled buy from June 5, 2014 and the money owed by Boroski. Wimbush and Boroski eventually arranged for Boroski to pay $50.00 owed from the previous controlled buy on June 5, 2014 and purchase an additional $100.00 worth of "stuff,” from Wimbush. Boroski and Wimbush arranged for this sale to once again occur at Church's Chicken. At

the end of the controlled calls, Wimbush advised Boroski that he would be at Church's Chicken in ten to fifteen minutes.

{¶10} Detectives searched Boroski's person and vehicle and confirmed that Boroski did not possess any contraband. Detective Blust equipped Boroski with video and audio recording equipment and provided Boroski with $150 to execute the controlled buy from Wimbush. Boroski then proceeded to Church's Chicken, with Detectives Blust and Rodriguez following in a separate vehicle. Boroski parked in the parking lot of Church's Chicken. Detectives Blust and Rodriguez parked in the parking lot of MVP Bar and Lounge in order to observe the controlled buy.

{¶11} Approximately forty-five minutes after the conclusion of the controlled phone call, Wimbush arrived at Church's Chicken. Wimbush, who did not have any drugs with him, asked Boroski to take a ride with him. Boroski declined. Wimbush told Boroski that Wimbush’s girlfriend was bringing the "stuff' from Ontario. Wimbush asked Boroski to follow him to Joe & Mary's, a convenient store located on Sturges Avenue, to pick up the "stuff' from Wimbush’s girlfriend. Boroski told Wimbush he would follow him to Joe & Mary's.

{¶12} After Wimbush left Church's Chicken, Boroski contacted Detective Blust.

Detective Blust advised Boroski not to go to Joe & Mary's out of concern for Boroski's safety. Boroski and Detective Blust met at St. Peter's Church, where Detective Blust called off the controlled sale and de-activated Boroski's recording equipment. Boroski and Detectives Blust and Rodriguez then returned to MEU.

{¶13} Upon returning to MEU, Boroski completed another controlled phone call with Wimbush. During this final controlled call, Wimbush became agitated about Boroski

owing him money and claimed that Boroski owed him $100.00 from the controlled buy on June 5, 2014 rather than $50.

{¶14} On February 19, 2016, the jury convicted Wimbush on both counts of the indictment. The trial court immediately sentenced Wimbush to prison terms of eighteen months on Count 1 and one year on Count 2, with those terms to be served consecutively. The trial court also imposed three years of discretionary post-release control and imposed $40 in restitution to be paid to the Mansfield Police Department Crime Lab.

Assignments of Error

{¶15} Wimbush raises three assignments of error,

{¶16} “I. THE DEFENDANT'S CONVICTIONS FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING (TWO COUNTS) WERE NOT SUPPORTED BY SUFFICIENT EVIDENCE TO SUSTAIN SAID CONVICTIONS.

{¶17} “II. THE DEFENDANT'S CONVICTIONS FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING (2 COUNTS) WERE AGAINST THE MANIFEST WEIGHT OF THE EVIDENCE PRESENTED AT TRIAL.

{¶18} “III. THE CONSECUTIVE SENTENCES IMPOSED BY THE TRIAL COURT WAS CONTRARY TO LAW.”

I & II.

{¶19} In his first assignment of error, Wimbush challenges the sufficiency of the evidence. In his second assignment of error, Wimbush contends his conviction is against the manifest weight of the evidence produced at trial.

{¶20} Our review of the constitutional sufficiency of evidence to support a criminal conviction is governed by Jackson v. Virginia, 443 U.S. 307, 319, 99 S.Ct. 2781, 61

Richland County, Case No. 16CA14 6

L.Ed.2d 560 (1979), which requires a court of appeals to determine whether “after viewing the evidence in the light most favorable to the prosecution, any rational trier of fact could have found the essential elements of the crime beyond a reasonable doubt.” Id.; see also McDaniel v. Brown, 558 U.S. 120, 130 S.Ct. 665, 673, 175 L.Ed.2d 582(2010) (reaffirming this standard); State v. Fry, 125 Ohio St.3d 163, 926 N.E.2d 1239, 2010–Ohio–1017, ¶146; State v. Clay, 187 Ohio App.3d 633, 933 N.E.2d 296, 2010–Ohio–2720, ¶68.

{¶21} Weight of the evidence addresses the evidence's effect of inducing belief.

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