State v. Wise

CourtCourt of Appeals of Arizona
DecidedNovember 3, 2015
Docket1 CA-CR 13-0888
StatusUnpublished

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

Bluebook
State v. Wise, (Ark. Ct. App. 2015).

Opinion

NOTICE: NOT FOR OFFICIAL PUBLICATION. UNDER ARIZONA RULE OF THE SUPREME COURT 111(c), THIS DECISION IS NOT PRECEDENTIAL AND MAY BE CITED ONLY AS AUTHORIZED BY RULE.

IN THE ARIZONA COURT OF APPEALS DIVISION ONE

STATE OF ARIZONA, Appellee,

v.

DANNY WISE, Appellant.

No. 1 CA-CR 13-0888 FILED 11-3-2015

Appeal from the Superior Court in Maricopa County No. CR2009-173845-001 The Honorable David B. Gass, Judge

AFFIRMED

COUNSEL

Arizona Attorney General’s Office, Phoenix By Joseph T. Maziarz Counsel for Appellee

The Hopkins Law Office, P.C., Tucson By Cedric Martin Hopkins Counsel for Appellant STATE v. WISE Decision of the Court

MEMORANDUM DECISION

Judge Kenton D. Jones delivered the decision of the Court, in which Presiding Judge Maurice Portley and Judge John C. Gemmill joined.

J O N E S, Judge:

¶1 Dan Wise appeals his convictions and sentences for eight counts of fraudulent schemes and twenty-two counts of theft. After searching the entire record, Wise’s defense counsel has identified no arguable question of law that is not frivolous. Therefore, in accordance with Anders v. California, 386 U.S. 738 (1967), and State v. Leon, 104 Ariz. 297 (1969), defense counsel asks this Court to search the record for fundamental error. Wise was afforded the opportunity to file a supplemental brief in propria persona, which he elected to do. After reviewing the record, we find no error. Accordingly, Wise’s convictions and sentences are affirmed.

FACTS1 AND PROCEDURAL HISTORY

¶2 Wise was indicted on eight counts of fraud and twenty-two counts of theft2 based upon events occurring between June 2006 and April 2008 while Wise was engaged as the victims’ accountant. At trial, six victims, several of whom were family or close friends of Wise, testified Wise, a certified public accountant, regularly prepared their tax returns, represented he had filed returns or requests for an extension to file returns with the Internal Revenue Service and state tax agencies (collectively, the IRS) between 2006 and 2008, and further represented he had paid estimated taxes on their behalf. Wise advised the victims of the amount he allegedly

1 We view the facts in the light most favorable to sustaining the jury’s verdict, with all reasonable inferences resolved against the defendant. State v. Harm, 236 Ariz. 402, 404 n.2, ¶ 2 (App. 2015) (quoting State v. Valencia, 186 Ariz. 493, 495 (App. 1996)).

2 Counts 1 through 16 alleged theft and Count 17 alleged fraud against Arthur K. Count 18 alleged fraud and Count 19 alleged theft against Francesco C. Counts 20, 22, and 24 alleged theft and Counts 21, 23, and 25 alleged fraud against Elissa G. Counts 26 and 27 alleged theft and Count 28 alleged fraud against Carl F. Counts 29 and 30 alleged fraud against Beth S. and Neil B., respectively.

2 STATE v. WISE Decision of the Court

paid on their behalf, and they “reimbursed” him those sums. However, the IRS was never paid.

¶3 Although amounts varied from victim to victim, the total sum Wise took was nearly $1 million. Each victim testified he or she primarily communicated directly with Wise on all issues but occasionally relayed to or received routine information from Wise’s assistant, and none of the victims were aware of any other employees or partners working with Wise.

¶4 When confronted by the victims, Wise blamed the IRS for misplacing or misapplying the funds and promised each victim he would resolve the issue. After months of delay, Wise was ultimately unable to document that the checks had ever been sent to or negotiated by the IRS. At trial, a representative from Wise’s bank testified that none of the checks he wrote to the IRS for payment of the victims’ taxes had ever been presented for payment. Wise ultimately paid the full amount owed to the IRS by Neil B. and Beth S., including interest and penalties, after they reported his conduct to law enforcement; the other victims, however, received nothing.

¶5 In mid-2008, three of the victims filed complaints against Wise with the Arizona State Board of Accountancy. Wise failed to respond to the complaints in writing as required by law and, in December 2008, consented to the revocation of his certification.3

¶6 When confronted by the police in early 2009, Wise advised he had been an accountant for twenty-five years, but retired approximately two years prior. He stated he had legal issues with a previous business partner resulting in difficulties with his banking institution.

¶7 Wise testified in his defense at trial. He characterized himself as an “absentee owner” of an extremely busy accounting firm who, between 2004 and 2008, delegated more and more responsibility to his assistant to manage both his professional and personal affairs so he could develop his business and spend more time with his family. As a result, Wise’s assistant had complete access to his business and personal information, including personal identification information, accounts, passwords, and the company checkbook. But, according to Wise’s testimony, as his business continued to grow, he did not have time to monitor what occurred within the office.

3 A fourth victim filed a complaint in February 2009, after Wise’s certification had been revoked.

3 STATE v. WISE Decision of the Court

¶8 Wise admitted receiving funds from the victims as “repayment” for their tax liability and acknowledged being ultimately responsible for what happened within his office, but denied any intent to steal money and denied knowledge of where the funds were. He testified his signature was “a scribble” that could have been signed by anyone, including his assistant, and that he assumed his assistant was performing the ministerial tasks he assigned including forwarding payment to the IRS on behalf of the victims as promised and confirming the IRS later negotiated the checks. Wise testified that only when he closed his business in late 2008 did he realize his files were not well kept and his reliance upon his assistant may have been misplaced, intimating she could have taken the funds and hidden from him that the IRS was never paid. In essence, Wise conceded an error in business judgment amounting only to negligence or malpractice.

¶9 A forensic accountant testified that Wise’s practice of extending his own funds to pay his clients’ estimated taxes was not illegal or unethical but expressed concern that Wise had no readily apparent or effective internal control procedures and placed too much trust in his staff. Although the expert was unable to exclude Wise as having perpetrated the scheme, neither could he exclude the assistant or Wise’s partner in a boxing promotion business that operated from the same office.

¶10 The jury found Wise guilty on all counts. It also found the State had proven beyond a reasonable doubt that all of the offenses were committed for pecuniary gain and caused emotional and/or financial harm to the victims; all but counts 29 and 30 involved the taking of property in an amount sufficient to be an aggravating circumstance.

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Bluebook (online)
State v. Wise, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-wise-arizctapp-2015.