[Cite as State v. Moore, 2011-Ohio-2220.]

COURT OF APPEALS 

MUSKINGUM COUNTY, OHIO 

FIFTH APPELLATE DISTRICT 

STATE OF OHIO 

 Plaintiff-Appellee 

-vsMARCUS D. MOORE 

 Defendant-Appellant 

JUDGES: 

Hon. W. Scott Gwin, P. J. 

Hon. William B. Hoffman, J. 

Hon. John W. Wise, J. 

Case No. CT2010-0048 

O P I N I O N 

CHARACTER OF PROCEEDING: Criminal Appeal from the Court of Common 

Pleas, Case No. CR2010-0065 

JUDGMENT: Affirmed 

DATE OF JUDGMENT ENTRY: May 6, 2011 

APPEARANCES: 

For Plaintiff-Appellee For Defendant-Appellant 

RON WELCH SAM B. WEINER 

ASSISTANT PROSECUTOR SAMUEL B. WEINER CO., LPA 

27 North Fifth Street, P. O. Box 189 743 South Front Street 

Zanesville, Ohio 43702-0189 Columbus, Ohio 43206 
Muskingum County, Case No. CT2010-0048 2

Wise, J. 

{¶1} Defendant-appellant Marcus D. Moore appeals his conviction and 

sentence entered by the Muskingum County Court of Common Pleas on one count of 

trafficking drugs with a forfeiture specification following a plea. 

{¶2} Plaintiff-appellee is the State of Ohio. 

STATEMENT OF THE CASE AND FACTS

{¶3} On April 1, 2010, Appellant Marcus D. Moore was indicted on one count 

of drug trafficking, in violation of R.C. §2925.03(A)(1), a second degree felony, with a 

forfeiture specification, after being arrested in a sting operation for selling nine ounces 

of cocaine to a confidential informant. 

{¶4} On July 19, 2010, Appellant entered a guilty plea as part of a negotiated 

plea agreement wherein the State agreed to recommend a sentence of five (5) years of 

incarceration. (Plea T. at 7-9). 

{¶5} At sentencing, the State made its recommendation of a five year 

sentence. (Sent. T. at 4). Appellant requested the imposition of a two year sentence, 

the minimum sentence for a second degree felony. Id. at 5. The trial court followed the 

State’s recommendation and imposed a five-year sentence. Id. at 6-7. 

{¶6} Appellant subsequently filed a motion to reconsider the sentence, which 

the trial court overruled. 

{¶7} Defendant-Appellant now appeals, assigning the following error for review: 

ASSIGNMENT OF ERROR

{¶8} “I. THE TRIAL COURT ERRED WHEN IT ACCEPTED THE STATE’S 

RECOMMENDATION FOR A FIVE-YEAR PRISON SENTENCE WITHOUT 
Muskingum County, Case No. CT2010-0048 3

EXERCISING ITS OWN JUDICIAL DISCRETION REQUIRED WHEN IMPOSING A 

SENTENCE. THIS VIOLATED THE DEFENDANT’S RIGHT TO HAVE A 

PROPORTIONATE SENTENCE IMPOSED BY A FAIR AND NEUTRAL JUDGE AND 

ALSO VIOLATED THE DEFENDANT’S CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS TO DUE 

PROCESS OF LAW, THE EQUAL PROTECTION OF THE LAW, AND THE 

SEPARATION OF POWERS DOCTRINE.” 

I. 

{¶9} In his sole assignment of error, Appellant asserts that the trial court 

abused its discretion in sentencing him to the minimum sentence and for not stating its 

reasons for such on the record. We disagree. 

{¶10} The Ohio Supreme Court held, in State v. Foster, 109 Ohio St.3d 1, 2006-

Ohio-856, that judicial fact finding is not required before a court imposes non-minimum, 

maximum or consecutive prison terms. See, e.g., State v. Williams, Muskingum App. 

No. CT2009-0006, 2009-Ohio-5296, ¶19, citing State v. Hanning, Licking App.No. 

2007CA00004, 2007-Ohio-5547, ¶ 9. Subsequent to Foster, in a plurality opinion, the 

Ohio Supreme Court established a two-step procedure for reviewing a felony sentence. 

State v. Kalish, 120 Ohio St.3d 23, 2008-Ohio-4912, 896 N.E.2d 124. The first step is to 

“examine the sentencing court's compliance with all applicable rules and statutes in 

imposing the sentence to determine whether the sentence is clearly and convincingly 

contrary to law.” Kalish at ¶ 4. If this first step is satisfied, the second step requires the 

trial court's decision be reviewed under an abuse-of-discretion standard. Id.

{¶11} In the case sub judice, the trial court stated on the record that it had 

“received the presentence investigation, reviewed it thoroughly, as well as the 
Muskingum County, Case No. CT2010-0048 4

sentencing memorandum as presented and filed by [Appellant] in this matter.” (Sent. T. 

at 6). Furthermore, the Sentencing Entry states that the court “considered the record, 

all statements, any victim impact statements, the presentence report prepared, the plea 

recommendation in this matter, as well as the principles and purposes of sentencing 

under Ohio Revised Code § 2929.11 and its balance of seriousness and recidivism 

factors under Revised Code §2929.12. (Sentencing Entry, Sept. 3, 2010). 

{¶12} Appellant presently does not direct us to any significant mitigating 

information in the record, instead arguing that because the trial court imposed the same 

sentence as that recommended by the State, the court failed to use its discretion. 

Appellant also claims that the sentence is not proportionate to the crime and that he 

was therefore deprived of his rights to due process and equal protection, but Appellant 

fails to support such claims with any supporting argument. 

{¶13} In this case, Appellant was charged, pled and found guilty of a second 

degree felony, the punishment for which is two, three, four, five, six, seven, or eight 

years. The trial court sentenced Appellant to five years, well within the statutory 

guidelines for such offense. 

{¶14} Based on our review of the record, and pursuant to Foster and Kalish, we 

cannot find any evidence that the trial court abused its discretion in rendering more than 

the minimum sentence under the facts and circumstances of this case. 

 
Muskingum County, Case No. CT2010-0048 5

{¶15} Appellant’s sole assignment of error is overruled. 

{¶16} For the foregoing reasons, the judgment of the Court of Common Pleas of 

Muskingum County, Ohio, is affirmed. 

By: Wise, J. 

Gwin, P. J., and 

Hoffman, J., concur. 

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 ___________________________________ 

 ___________________________________ 

 JUDGES 

JWW/d 0426 
Muskingum County, Case No. CT2010-0048 6

IN THE COURT OF APPEALS FOR MUSKINGUM COUNTY, OHIO 

FIFTH APPELLATE DISTRICT 

STATE OF OHIO : 

 : 

 Plaintiff-Appellee : 

 : 

-vs- : JUDGMENT ENTRY 

 : 

MARCUS D. MOORE : 

 : 

 Defendant-Appellant : Case No. CT2010-0048 

 For the reasons stated in our accompanying Memorandum-Opinion, the 

judgment of the Court of Common Pleas of Muskingum County, Ohio, is affirmed. 

 Costs assessed to Appellant. 

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 JUDGES