Title: Stansel v. State

State: delaware

Issuer: Delaware Supreme Court

Document:

IN THE SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF DELAWARE 
 
JESSE C. STANSEL, 
 
Defendant Below, 
Appellant, 
 
v. 
 
STATE OF DELAWARE, 
 
Plaintiff Below, 
Appellee. 
§ 
§   
§  No. 17, 2016 
§ 
§ Court Below—Superior Court 
§  of the State of Delaware 
§   
§  Cr. ID Nos. 1404021446 & 
§  1405005851 
§ 
§ 
§ 
 
 
 
 
 
Submitted:  March 31, 2016 
 
 
 
 
Decided: 
May 3, 2016 
 
Before HOLLAND, VALIHURA, and VAUGHN, Justices. 
 
 
 
 
 
O R D E R 
 
 
This 3rd day of May 2016, upon consideration of the appellant’s opening 
brief, the appellee’s motion to affirm, and the record below, it appears to the Court 
that: 
(1) 
The appellant, Jesse C. Stansel, filed this appeal from the Superior 
Court’s December 11, 2015 order sentencing him for a violation of probation 
(“VOP”).  The State of Delaware has moved to affirm the Superior Court’s 
judgment on the ground that it is manifest on the face of Stansel’s opening brief 
that the appeal is without merit.  We agree and affirm.     
2 
 
(2) 
The record reflects that, in September 2014, Stansel resolved two 
cases by pleading guilty to two counts of Criminal Trespass in the First Degree and 
one count each of Failure to Comply with Taking of Photographs or Fingerprints 
and Criminal Mischief.  Stansel was sentenced as follows: (i) for one count of 
Criminal Trespass in the First Degree, one year of Level V incarceration, 
suspended upon completion of a Level IV residential substance abuse treatment 
program; (ii) for the other count of Criminal Trespass in the First Degree, one year 
of Level V incarceration, suspended for one year of Level III Aftercare; (iii) for 
Failure to Comply with Taking of Photographs or Fingerprints, one year of Level 
V incarceration, suspended for one year of Level III Aftercare; (iv) for Criminal 
Mischief, one year of Level V incarceration, suspended for one year of Level III 
probation.  Stansel did not appeal the Superior Court’s judgment.   
(3) 
On November 5, 2015, an administrative warrant was filed for 
Stansel’s VOP.  The warrant alleged that Stansel had been discharged from the 
Crest program for multiple violations of the program.  On December 11, 2015, the 
Superior Court found that Stansel had violated his probation.  Stansel was 
sentenced to one year of Level V incarceration for Failure to Comply with Taking 
of Photographs or Fingerprints.  Stansel was discharged as unimproved for his 
other convictions.  This appeal followed. 
3 
 
(4) 
In his opening brief, Stansel argues that the sentence for Failure to 
Comply with Taking of Photographs or Fingerprints exceeds the Sentencing 
Accountability Commission (“SENTAC”) sentencing guidelines.  To the extent 
Stansel is challenging the original sentence, that claim is outside the scope of this 
appeal.1  To the extent Stansel is challenging the VOP sentence, that claim is 
without merit.   
(5) 
It is well-settled that the SENTAC guidelines are non-binding and do 
not provide a basis for appeal of a sentence that is within the authorized statutory 
limits.2  Once Stansel committed a VOP, the Superior Court could impose any 
period of incarceration up to and including the balance of the Level V time 
remaining on Stansel’s sentences.3  The Level V sentence imposed for Stansel’s 
VOP in connection with his conviction for Failure to Comply with Taking of 
Photographs or Fingerprints —one year of Level V incarceration—did not exceed 
the one year of Level V time previously suspended for that conviction and was 
within statutory limits.         
 
 
                                                 
1 See, e.g., Eley v. State, 2006 WL 435592, at *1 (Del. Feb. 21, 2006) (holding appellant could 
not collaterally attack sentences on convictions underlying VOP in appeal from VOP).  
2 Siple v. State, 701 A.2d 79, 83 (Del. 1997). 
3 11 Del. C. § 4334(c); Pavulak v. State, 880 A.2d 1044, 1046 (Del. 2005). 
4 
 
NOW, THEREFORE, IT IS ORDERED that the motion to affirm is 
GRANTED and the judgment of the Superior Court is AFFIRMED. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
BY THE COURT: 
 
 
 
 
 
 
/s/ Karen L. Valihura 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Justice