United States v. Specialist RONALD E. HOPSTOCK

• Court: Army Court of Criminal Appeals
• Decided: August 9, 2010
• Docket: ARMY 987654321
• Status: Unpublished

Opinion

UNITED STATES ARMY COURT OF CRIMINAL APPEALS

Before JOHNSON, BAIME, and BURTON Appellate Military Judges

UNITED STATES, Appellee v. Specialist RONALD E. HOPSTOCK United States Army, Appellant

ARMY 20090159

Headquarters, 10th Support Group and U.S. Army, Okinawa Donna M. Wright, Military Judge Lieutenant Colonel Barry J. Stevens, Staff Judge Advocate

For Appellant: Colonel Mark Tellitocci, JA; Lieutenant Colonel Matthew M. Miller, JA; Major Timothy W. Thomas, JA; Captain Jennifer A. Parker, JA (on brief); Colonel Mark Tellitocci, JA; Lieutenant Colonel Matthew M. Miller, JA; Major Grace M. Gallagher, JA; Captain Jennifer A. Parker, JA (on brief in response to specified issue).

For Appellee: Colonel Norman F.J. Allen III, JA; Lieutenant Colonel Martha L. Foss, JA; Major Lisa L. Gumbs, JA; Captain Stephanie R. Cooper, JA (on brief); Colonel Norman F.J. Allen III, JA; Lieutenant Colonel Martha L. Foss, JA; Major Lisa L. Gumbs, JA; Captain Mark E. Goodson, JA (on brief in response to specified issue).

9 August 2010

--------------------------------- SUMMARY DISPOSITION ---------------------------------

Per Curiam:

A military judge sitting as a general court-martial convicted appellant, pursuant to his pleas, of dereliction of duty on diverse occasions, sodomy on diverse occasions, and patronizing a prostitute on diverse occasions in violation of Uniform Code of Military Justice [hereinafter UCMJ], Articles 92, 125, and 134; 10 U.S.C. sections 892, 925, and 934 (2008). The military judge sentenced appellant to reduction to Private E1, confinement for eight months, and a bad-conduct discharge. Pursuant to a pretrial agreement, the convening authority reduced the sentence to confinement to six months and approved the remainder of the adjudged sentence. This case is before us for review pursuant to Article 66, UCMJ. On appeal, appellant alleges the Staff Judge Advocate’s post-trial recommendation (SJAR) “improperly advised the convening authority that appellant’s Article 125 and 134 misconduct lasted for one year beyond the period for which he was convicted.” We then specified the following issue:

Whether the Army Court of Criminal Appeals can affirm the portion of the findings of all three charges and their specifications alleging “on diverse occasions” when both the result of trial and staff judge advocate’s post-trial recommendation failed to properly advise the convening authority that the criminal misconduct occurred multiple times in each charge.

In his action, the convening authority did not reference the findings and only addressed appellant’s sentence. The SJAR omitted reference to “on diverse occasions” for all three specifications. In addition, the SJAR incorrectly lists 1 January 2009, instead of 1 January 2008, as the end date of appellant’s misconduct for two of the three specifications. The result of trial also failed to include the language “on diverse occasions” or any dates of misconduct in each of the three specifications. We arguably have the authority to affirm the findings adjudged at trial and the approved sentence under precedent established in United States v. Alexander, 63 M.J. 269 (C.A.A.F. 2006). In Alexander, separate convening authorities were presumed to have affirmed findings adjudged at trial even though the respective SJAR’s failed to advise the appellant was receiving “special pay” at the time of his misconduct and committed misconduct “on diverse occasions.” Id. at 275-76. However, in Alexander the dates of misconduct were not an issue or misrepresented, and the promulgating order accurately reflected the pleas and findings. The facts of this case do not provide us the same comfort, and we decline to affirm the findings at this time. Rather, given the number of mistakes and inconsistencies contained in the result of trial, the SJAR, and the promulgating order, we return the case to the convening authority for a new review and action to ensure he completely and correctly understands the findings before taking action on the sentence.

The convening authority’s initial action, dated 13 May 2009, is set aside. The record of trial is returned to The Judge Advocate General for a new SJAR and action by the same or a different convening authority in accordance with Article 60(c)-(e), UCMJ.

FOR THE COURT:

MALCOLM H. SQUIRES, JR. Clerk of Court