Title: Zera v. State

State: delaware

Issuer: Delaware Supreme Court

Document:

IN THE SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF DELAWARE 
 
KENNETH ZERA, 
 
Defendant Below, 
Appellant, 
 
v. 
 
STATE OF DELAWARE, 
 
Plaintiff Below, 
Appellee. 
§ 
§   
§  No. 293, 2018 
§ 
§  Court Below—Superior Court 
§  of the State of Delaware 
§   
§  Cr. ID No. 1106028037 (K) 
§   
§ 
§ 
 
 
 
 
 
Submitted:  August 22, 2018 
 
 
 
 
Decided:     September 25, 2018 
 
Before STRINE, Chief Justice; VALIHURA and SEITZ, Justices. 
 
 
 
 
O R D E R 
 
 
After consideration of the appellant’s opening brief, the appellee’s motion to 
affirm, and the record below, the Court concludes that: 
(1) 
The appellant, Kenneth Zera, filed this appeal from the Superior 
Court’s May 11, 2018 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 Zera’s opening brief that the appeal is 
without merit.  We agree and affirm.     
(2) 
The record reflects that, on August 23, 2011, Zera pled guilty to Sexual 
Exploitation of a Child in exchange for the State dismissing multiple counts of 
Dealing in Child Pornography.  The Superior Court sentenced Zera, effective June 
2 
 
30, 2011, to fifteen years of Level V incarceration suspended after two years for 
decreasing levels of supervision.  The sentencing order required Zera to engage in 
sexual offender treatment and prohibited him from accessing the internet or 
possessing a computer with internet service.   
(3) 
On May 23, 2014, an administrative warrant was filed for Zera’s VOP.  
After a VOP hearing on June 13, 2014, the Superior Court found that Zera had 
violated his probation and sentenced him, effective June 2, 2014, to thirteen years of 
Level V incarceration, suspended after successful completion of the Level V 
Transitions Sex Offender Program for decreasing levels of supervision.  On February 
28, 2017, another administrative warrant was filed for Zera’s VOP.  After a VOP 
hearing on March 13, 2017, the Superior Court found that Zera had violated his 
probation and sentenced him, effective February 23, 2017, to ten years and seven 
months of Level V incarceration suspended for six months of Level IV work release, 
followed by one year of Level III probation.   
(4) 
On April 23, 2018, another administrative warrant was filed for Zera’s 
VOP.  The VOP report alleged that Zera had failed a polygraph examination 
regarding his internet use and sexual contact with a minor, possessed a cell phone 
with internet access, continued to possess a cell phone with internet access even after 
his probation officer directed him to get a new cell phone without internet access, 
and admitted to online gaming at least once a month.  After a VOP hearing on May 
3 
 
11, 2018, the Superior Court found that Zera had violated his probation.  The 
Superior Court sentenced Zera, effective April 19, 2018, to ten years and six months 
of Level V incarceration, suspended after successful completion of the Life Skills 
Program for two years of Level III probation and participation in the Level III 
Transitions Sex Offender Program.  This appeal followed. 
(5) 
In his opening brief, Zera does not dispute that he violated his 
probation, but argues that his sentence is excessive because he will not be able to 
start the Life Skills Program until June 2019.  Once Zera 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 his sentence.1  The Level V sentence 
imposed by the Superior Court after Zera’s VOP did not exceed the Level V time 
previously suspended and was within statutory limits.   
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 
                                                 
1 11 Del. C. § 4334(c); Pavulak v. State, 880 A.2d 1044, 1046 (Del. 2005).