Case ID: so2d_713/html/1093-01.html
Source: Caselaw Access Project
Author: {"author": "PATTERSON, Acting Chief Judge.", "license": "Public Domain", "url": "https://static.case.law/"}
Date Created: 2024-08-24T03:29:51.129683

John Hollis FESSENDEN, Appellant, v. STATE of Florida, Appellee.
    No. 96-00129.
    District Court of Appeal of Florida, Second District.
    July 17, 1998.
    James Marion Moorman, Public Defender, Bartow, and Megan Olson, Assistant Public Defender, Clearwater, for Appellant.
    Robert A. Butterworth, Attorney General, Tallahassee, and Ann Pfeiffer Corcoran, Assistant Attorney General, Tampa, for Appel-lee.
   PATTERSON, Acting Chief Judge.

The appellant, John Fessenden, and code-fendant Charles Amos were charged in an indictment and a superseding information with violating Florida’s Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act and multiple counts of grand theft. In Amos v. State, 711 So.2d 1197 (Fla. 2d DCA 1998), we determined that the conduct asserted did not constitute grand theft. Based on Amos, we therefore reverse Fessenden’s convictions and direct that he be discharged.

As we did in Amos, we certify to the supreme court the following question which we determine to be of great public importance:

IS THE OBTAINING OF A REDUCED INITIAL PREMIUM FOR WORKERS’ COMPENSATION INSURANCE BY MISREPRESENTATIONS OF STATUTORILY-REQUIRED FACTORS USED TO DETERMINE THAT PREMIUM THEFT UNDER SECTION 812.014, FLORIDA STATUTES?

Reversed.

ALTENBERND and WHATLEY, JJ., concur.