State v. Workman

170 So. 3d 279, 14 La.App. 5 Cir. 559, 2015 La. App. LEXIS 731, 2015 WL 1787049
CourtLouisiana Court of Appeal
DecidedApril 15, 2015
DocketNo. 14-KA-559
StatusPublished
Cited by8 cases

This text of 170 So. 3d 279 (State v. Workman) 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. Workman, 170 So. 3d 279, 14 La.App. 5 Cir. 559, 2015 La. App. LEXIS 731, 2015 WL 1787049 (La. Ct. App. 2015).

Opinion

ROBERT M. MURPHY, Judge.

|sDefendant, Gary Workman, appeals his convictions and sentences for attempted aggravated rape and multiple counts of possession and distribution of pornography involving juveniles. For the reasons that follow, defendant’s convictions and sentences are affirmed. We remand this case to the trial court with instructions to correct an error patent on the face of the record.

STATEMENT OF THE CASE

On June 5, 2012, the Jefferson Parish District Attorney filed a bill of information charging defendant, Gary L. Workman, with one count of attempted aggravated rape of a twelve-year-old juvenile, in violation of La. R.S. 14:27 and 14:42 (count one). Defendant pled not guilty to the charged offense at his arraignment on June 6, 2012. On July 19, 2012, the State filed an amended bill of information adding four counts of pornography involving juveniles under the age l4of thirteen, violations of La. R.S. 14:81.1 (counts two, three, four, and five). Defendant pled not guilty to the additional charges on July 24, 2012.

Prior to trial, several pre-trial motions were filed, including a motion to suppress statement, which was heard and denied on February 25, 2014. Trial commenced before a twelve-person jury on the same day. On February 27, 2014, the jury returned a verdict of guilty as charged on all five counts.

Prior to sentencing on March 10, 2014, defendant’s motion for new trial was heard and denied by the trial court. After waiving sentencing delays, the trial court sentenced defendant to fifteen years imprisonment at hard labor on count one, ten years imprisonment at hard labor on counts two, three, and four, and five years imprisonment at hard labor on count five. The trial court further ordered counts one through four to be served consecutively to each other and count five to be served concurrently with the sentences imposed on defendant’s 'other counts. All counts were ordered to be served without benefit of probation, parole or suspension of sentence, and defendant was advised of his sex offender notification requirements.

Immediately after sentencing, defendant made an oral motion for appeal, and then filed a written motion for appeal which was granted by the trial court on the same day — March 10, 2014. The instant appeal follows.

FACTS

Detective Jessica Cantrell Zuppardo of the Kenner Police Department testified that an anonymous tip was reported to her office concerning an advertisement published on the online website “Craig’s List.” Detective Zuppardo testified that the advertisement was found in the personal section, under “Casual Encounters,” and was titled “Somebody’s Daughter.” After clicking on the title, the content of the advertisement read: “[ejvery woman is somebody’s daughter. |fiDo you have a daughter you could bring to me? I’d love to do somebody’s daughter.” Based on the language used in the advertisement, Detective Zuppardo contacted Special Agent Jamie Hall of the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI), who took over the investigation. Detective Zuppardo testified that she again became involved in the investigation when Agent Hall set up “a meet” with defendant in April of 2012. Detective Zuppardo explained that Agent Hall had arranged for defendant to meet, what defendant believed to be, a twelve-year-old girl to have sex with at a specified location in Kenner. Detective Zuppardo and Agent Hall set up surveillance near 2850 Idaho Avenue — the apartment complex address defendant was provided, and waited for defendant to arrive. Detective [284]*284Zuppardo testified that Special Agent Tira Lucas followed defendant when defendant left his residence. Defendant’s vehicle proceeded down Idaho Avenue at which time a traffic stop was effectuated in front of the apartment complex by Kenner Police Officer Ethan Hales. Defendant was placed in custody and an inventory search of his vehicle was performed. Inside his vehicle a post-it note, which had the address of the apartment complex on Idaho Avenue written on it, was tom in half and recovered from the passenger side floorboard.

Defendant was transported to the Ken-ner Police Department where he was interviewed by Detective Zuppardo and Agent Hall. Prior to interviewing defendant, Detective Zuppardo testified that defendant was read his Miranda1 rights from an Advice of Rights Form, which defendant signed, waiving his rights. Detective Zuppardo stated that she did not force, coerce or promise anything to defendant in exchange for his statement. She further stated that Agent Hall also provided defendant with an FBI Advice of Rights Form. Detective Zuppardo explained that Agent Hall, as the primary interviewer, asked the questions during | fithe interview while she took notes. She testified that during the interview defendant admitted to posting the reported advertisement on Craig’s List and further admitted to having contact with a man by the name of “Savage” who was actually undercover Special Agent Hall. Defendant also admitted to sending a picture of his niece getting out of the shower and other child pornography via email to Agent Hall. Defendant stated that he used the directions provided by Agent Hall to drive to the apartment complex on Idaho Avenue with the intent of trying to have sex with a twelve-year-old girl. Specifically, defendant stated “[i]f I couldn’t have sexual intercourse, then I wouldn’t want to do anything else with the girl.” Defendant admitted to owning a personal computer and admitted to having sent child pornography through several different sources in the past. He further stated that at one time, he attempted to make contact with an eleven-year-old girl through a man named “Ron Anderson,” who had previously sent defendant child pornography.

Special Agent Jamie Hall of the FBI testified that he was contacted by Detective Zuppardo concerning an anonymous tip reported to the Kenner Police Department regarding a posting on Craig’s List. Agent Hall testified that he investigated the posting further because he believed that the person who posted the advertisement was looking for someone under the age of sixteen based on the phrase “a daughter you could bring to me,” implying the daughter would not be of driving age. Through the link provided in the advertisement, Agent Hall replied to the post using the moniker “Savage.” The person replied back to Agent Hall using the moniker “Kyabeah.” Agent Hall testified that the email communications between the two of them lasted approximately one month, and included the transmittal of several images he deemed to be child pornography.

17Agent Hall explained in detail his email conversations with defendant. He testified that he initiated contact with defendant by responding to his post with the following: “what are you looking for, in particular? I may have something.” Eventually, over the course of several email correspondences, Agent Hall testified that defendant confirmed his intent by stating, “[a] guy I met online was wanting me to break in his 11-year old daughter. [285]*285Something like that?”2 When asked what happened with the eleven-year-old, defendant replied that he would have “gone through with it,” but the person stopped communicating. Defendant then asked Agent Hall, “[s]o you got someone we can ... you know?” Due to the sexual nature of the previous email correspondences, Agent Hall explained that he believed defendant was requesting that he provide him with a minor to have sex with.

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Bluebook (online)
170 So. 3d 279, 14 La.App. 5 Cir. 559, 2015 La. App. LEXIS 731, 2015 WL 1787049, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-workman-lactapp-2015.