United States v. AVILA

CourtNavy-Marine Corps Court of Criminal Appeals
DecidedFebruary 20, 2025
Docket202300249
StatusPublished

This text of United States v. AVILA (United States v. AVILA) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Navy-Marine Corps Court of Criminal Appeals primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
United States v. AVILA, (N.M. 2025).

Opinion

This opinion is subject to administrative correction before final disposition.

Before DALY, GROSS, and de GROOT Appellate Military Judges

_________________________

UNITED STATES Appellee

v.

Joseph E. AVILA Gunnery Sergeant (E-7), U.S. Marine Corps Appellant

No. 202300249

Decided: 20 February 2025

Appeal from the United States Navy-Marine Corps Trial Judiciary

Military Judges: Yong J. Lee (arraignment) Andrea C. Goode (trial) Matthew M. Harris (post-trial)

Sentence adjudged 21 June 2023 by a general court-martial tried at Ma- rine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California, consisting of a military judge sitting alone. Sentence in the Entry of Judgment: confinement for six months, reduction to E-1, and a bad-conduct discharge.

For Appellant: Commander Kyle C. Kneese, JAGC, USN

For Appellee: Lieutenant Colonel James A. Burkart, USMC United States v. Avila, NMCCA No. 202300249 Opinion of the Court

Judge GROSS delivered the opinion of the Court, in which Senior Judge DALY and Judge de GROOT joined.

This opinion does not serve as binding precedent, but may be cited as persuasive authority under under NMCCA Rule of Appellate Procedure 30.2.

GROSS, Judge: A military judge sitting as a general court-martial convicted Appellant, in accordance with his pleas, of two specifications of violating a lawful general order or regulation, one specification of wrongfully carrying a concealed weapon, one specification of aggravated assault by strangulation, one specifi- cation of assault consummated by battery, and one specification of drunk and disorderly conduct in violation of Articles 92, 114, 128, and 134 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice [UCMJ]. 1 In accordance with Appellant’s plea agree- ment, the military judge sentenced Appellant to six months confinement, re- duction to paygrade E-1, and a bad-conduct discharge. 2 Appellant raises two assignments of error which we restate as follows: (1) did the Government fail to perform its obligation to waive forfeitures for six months as required by the plea agreement, thus making Appellant’s pleas im- provident; and (2) whether the bad-conduct discharge portion of the sentence is inappropriately severe for a Marine with nineteen-plus-years of service. We find no prejudicial error and affirm the findings and the sentence as adjudged.3

I. BACKGROUND

Appellant had served in the Marine Corps for nearly nineteen years when he attended a going away function for one of his junior Marines at a local res- taurant. What should have been an otherwise unremarkable evening recogniz- ing the service of a fellow Marine, unfortunately unraveled quickly resulting

1 10 U.S.C. §§ 892, 914, 928, 934.

2 Appellant was credited with 155 days of pretrial confinement.

3 Articles 59(a) and 66(c), UCMJ, 10 U.S.C. §§ 859(a), 866(c).

2 United States v. Avila, NMCCA No. 202300249 Opinion of the Court

in Appellant committing a series of criminal acts in the presence of and toward the junior Marines in his charge. When Appellant walked into the restaurant, he carried a concealed re- volver. While Appellant was otherwise legally allowed to carry a concealed per- sonal firearm off base, he knew he was not permitted to carry the weapon in public if he was consuming alcohol. In spite of this knowledge, Appellant had two beers and a shot of liquor. He then drew the handgun from its holster, removed a round from the cylinder, and displayed the round to his Marines before returning the cartridge to the cylinder and re-holstering the weapon. After leaving the restaurant, Appellant joined several junior Marines at other bars to continue drinking. During the evening, he became overly intoxi- cated and engaged the Marines in profanity-laden conversations. He then joined the Marines at the home of Corporal (E-4) [Cpl] Williams where they played card games, sang karaoke, and watched a movie. During this time, Ap- pellant slapped Lance Corporal (E-3) [LCpl] Pace on the buttocks and made unwanted physical advances toward Cpl Williams. 4 Lance Corporal Pace, recognizing Appellant’s improper behavior, at- tempted to intercede and separate Appellant from Cpl Williams, invited Ap- pellant to go to get some fast food. Appellant accepted and during the car ride LCpl Pace told Appellant he had acted inappropriately with Cpl Williams. LCpl Pace then drove Appellant home to his on-base house. Appellant reacted to LCpl Pace’s intervention by screaming at him, grabbing him by the throat, and impeding his airway while they were still in the car. After LCpl Pace es- caped Appellant and fled the vehicle, Appellant chased him and struck him twice with a closed fist. As he was walking to his driveway Appellant was con- fronted by his neighbor, a master sergeant (E-8), who had seen the aftermath of the altercation with LCpl Pace. Appellant then retrieved a second pistol from one of his vehicles, pointed it at his own head, and threatened to kill himself before finally surrendering to authorities. Appellant’s command placed him in pretrial confinement. On 11 May 2023, Appellant submitted a plea agreement to the convening authority [CA]. The

4 All names other than those of Appellant, judges, and counsel, are pseudonyms.

3 United States v. Avila, NMCCA No. 202300249 Opinion of the Court

CA signed the agreement on 22 May 2023. 5 Appellant’s End of Active Obligated Service [EAOS] was on 25 May 2023. 6 The plea agreement included several provisions relevant to this appeal. The agreement provided, first, that adjudged forfeitures were not authorized. Second, the CA agreed to defer automatic forfeitures until entry of judgment and then waive automatic forfeitures for a period of six months, so long as Ap- pellant maintained an allotment for the benefit of his dependents. 7 Third, the military judge was required to adjudge a bad-conduct discharge, reduction to paygrade E-1, and confinement for a minimum of 6 months and a maximum of 18 months. 8 Fourth, the CA agreed to withdraw and dismiss several specifica- tions of abusive sexual contact and one specification of violation of a lawful general order in exchange for Appellant’s guilty pleas. 9 Fifth, Appellant acknowledged he would be subject to automatic forfeitures unless the CA took action, but that, regardless, if he was held in confinement past his EAOS, he would not receive any pay or allowances by operation of law. 10 Finally, Appel- lant agreed to “waive all motions except those that are non-waivable pursuant to R.C.M. 705.” 11 At trial, the military judge discussed Appellant’s plea agreement with him. During that discussion, Appellant confirmed that he understood that he was past his EAOS. His defense counsel also alerted the judge that Appellant had not been paid while in pretrial confinement prior to the plea. The military judge explained that she did not believe that was correct, and that because Appellant was in pretrial confinement “it should not affect his pay and allow- ances.” 12 She continued, “[n]ow, the Court doesn’t have authority to affect that

5 App. Ex. II.

6 Def. Ex. F at 1.

7 App. Ex. II, para. 9.b.

8 App. Ex. II, para. 10.

9 App. Ex. II, para, 8.

10 App. Ex. II, para. 11.d.

11 App. Ex. II para. 8.h.

12 R. at 99.

4 United States v. Avila, NMCCA No. 202300249 Opinion of the Court

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