[Cite as State v. Crawford , 2021-Ohio-547.]

IN THE COURT OF APPEALS OF OHIO THIRD APPELLATE DISTRICT HENRY COUNTY

STATE OF OHIO, CASE NO. 7-20-05 PLAINTIFF-APPELLEE,

v. JOHN CRAWFORD, O P I N I O N

DEFENDANT-APPELLANT.

Appeal from Henry County Common Pleas Court Trial Court No. 19 CR 0161 Judgment Affirmed in Part, Reversed in Part and Cause Remanded Date of Decision: March 1, 2021

APPEARANCES: Nathan VanDenBerghe for Appellant

Gwen Howe-Gebers for AppelleeCase No. 7-20-05

-2- WILLAMOWSKI, P.J. {¶1} Defendant-appellant John Crawford (“Crawford”) appeals the judgment of the Henry County Court of Common Pleas, alleging (1 ) that the Reagan Tokes Law violates the separation of powers; (2) that he was de nied his right to the effective assistance of counsel; and (3) that the trial court e rred in imposing restitution. For the reasons set forth below, the judgment of the trial court is affirmed in part and reversed in part. Facts and Procedural History {¶2} On November 19, 2019, Crawford was indicted on one count of engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity in violation of R.C. 2923.32(A)(1), a felony of the first degree; one count of trafficking in a fentanyl rel ated compound in violation of R.C. 2925.03(A)(1), a felony of the fourth degree; two counts of aggravated trafficking in drugs in violation of R.C. 2925.03(A) (1), felonies of the second degree; one count of trafficking in a fentanyl related c ompound in violation of R.C. 2925.03(A)(1), a felony of the second degree; and two c ounts of aggravated trafficking in drugs in violation of R.C. 2925.03(A)(1), feloni es of the first degree.

Doc. 1. {¶3} On June 16, 2020, Crawford pled guilty to one count of engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity in violation of R.C. 2923.32(A)(1), a felony of the first degree; one count of trafficking in a fentanyl related compound in violation of R.C. 2925.03(A)(1), a felony of the fourth degree; one count of traf ficking in a fentanylCase No. 7-20-05

-3- related compound in violation of R.C. 2925.03(A)(1), a felony o f the second degree; and one count of aggravated trafficking in drugs in violation o f R.C. 2925.03(A)(1), a felony of the first degree. Doc. 30. The trial court accept ed Crawford’s guilty plea and dismissed the remaining counts against him. Doc. 35. {¶4} On July 27, 2020, Crawford appeared before the trial court for sentencing. Doc. 35. Pursuant to the Reagan Tokes Law, he rec eived an indefinite sentence with a minimum term of nine years and a maximum term o f thirteen-andone-half years. Doc. 35. The trial court also ordered Crawfor d to pay $10,600.00 in restitution to the Multi-Area Narcotics Unit (“the MAN Unit” ) because the MAN Unit paid a total of $10,600.00 to a confidential informant for use in three controlled buys with Crawford. 1 Doc. 35. PSI. This order of restitution was imposed jointly and severally with one of Crawford’s associates. Doc. 35. Def ense counsel objected to this order of restitution at the sentencing hearing . Sentencing Tr. 12. {¶5} The appellant filed his notice of appeal on August 18, 2020. D oc. 39. On appeal, Crawford raises the following assignments of error: First Assignment of Error The Reagan Tokes Act is an unconstitutional violation of separation of powers and due process.

1 In this case, there were a total of four controlled buys. PSI . The MAN Unit gave $10,600.00 to a confidential informants to use in the first three of these cont rolled buys. PSI. The MAN Unit issued $13,680.00 to a confidential informant for use in the fourth co ntrolled buy. PSI. However, Crawford was apprehended immediately after the fourth controlled buy. PSI.Case No. 7-20-05

-4- Second Assignment of Error Appellant did not receive effective assistance of counsel at tr ial when trial counsel failed to object to the constitutional valid ity of Reagan Tokes. Third Assignment of Error The trial court erred when it ordered Appellant to pay restitut ion to a non-victim government entity. First Assignment of Error {¶6} Crawford argues that the Reagan Tokes Law is unconstitutional. However, he admits in his brief that he did not raise these obj ections before the trial court and that the applicable standard of review is, therefore, plain error. Legal Standard {¶7} Under Crim.R. 52(A), “[p]lain errors or defects affecting subst antial rights may be noticed although they were not brought to the att ention of the court.” Crim.R. 52(B). “In order to find plain error under Crim.R. 52(B), there must b e an error, the error must be an ‘obvious’ defect in the trial proceedings, and the error must have affected ‘substantial rights.’” State v. Bowsher , 3d Dist. Union No. 14-07-32, 2009- Ohio-6524, ¶ 12, quoting State v. Barnes , 94 Ohio St.3d 21, 27, 759 N.E.2d 1240 (2002). ‘The standard for plain error is whether, but for the error, the outcome of the proceeding clearly would have been otherwise.’ State v. Hornbeck , 155 Ohio App.3d 571, 2003- Ohio-6897, 802 N.E.2d 184, ¶ 16 (2d Dist.), citing State v. Long , 53 Ohio St.2d 91, 372 N.E.2d 804 (1978). Notice of plain error is taken “only to ‘prevent a manifest miscarriage of justice.’” State v. Davis , 3d Dist. Seneca No. 13-16-30, 2017-Ohio-2916, ¶ 23, quoting Long, supra , at paragraph three of the syllabus.Case No. 7-20-05

-5- State v. Taflinger , 3d Dist. Logan No. 8-17-20, 2018-Ohio-456, ¶ 17. Under Crim.R. 52(B), “the defendant bears the burden of demonstrating that a plain error affected his substantial rights.” (Emphasis sic.) State v. Perry , 101 Ohio St.3d 118, 2004-Ohio-297, 802 N.E.2d 643, ¶ 14. {¶8} Further, “[i]n order to be justiciable, a controversy must be r ipe for

review.” State v. Loving , 180 Ohio App.3d 424, 2009-Ohio-15, 905 N.E.2d 1234, ¶ 4, quoting Keller v. Columbus , 100 Ohio St.3d 192, 2003-Ohio-5599, 797 N.E.2d 964, ¶ 26. Ripeness ‘is peculiarly a question of timing.’ Regional Rail Reorganization Act Cases (1974), 419 U.S. 102, 140, 95 S.Ct. 335, 357, 42 L.Ed.2d 320, 351. The ripeness doctrine is motivated i n part by the desire “to prevent the courts, through avoidance of premature adjudication, from entangling themselves in abstract disagreements over administrative policies * * *.” Abbott Laboratories v. Gardner (1967), 387 U.S. 136, 148, 87 S.Ct. 1507, 1515, 18 L.Ed.2d 681, 691 [( reversed on other grounds in Califano v. Sanders , 430 U.S. 99, 105, 97 S.Ct. 980, 984, 51 L.Ed.2d 192 (1977)]. * * *. “The basic principle of ripeness may be derived from the conclusion that ‘judicial machinery should be conserved for problems which are real or present and imminent, not squandered on problems which are abstract or hypothetical or remote.’ * * * [T]he prerequisite of ripeness is a limitation o n jurisdiction that is nevertheless basically optimistic as regar ds the prospects of a day in court: the time for judicial relief is si mply not yet arrived, even though the alleged action of the defendan t foretells legal injury to the plaintiff.” Comment, Mootness an d Ripeness: The Postman Always Rings Twice (1965), 65 Colum. L.Rev. 867, 876.Case No. 7-20-05

-6- State ex rel. Elyria Foundry Co. v. Indus. Comm ., 82 Ohio St.3d 88, 89, 694 N.E.2d 459, 460 (1998). “A claim is not ripe for our consideration if it rests on contingent future events that may not occur as anticipated or may never oc cur at all.” Loving at ¶ 4, citing Texas v. U.S ., 523 U.S. 296, 300, 118 S.Ct. 1257, 140 L.Ed.2d 406 (1998). Legal Analysis {¶9} On appeal, Crawford advances three main arguments to establish that the Reagan Tokes Law is unconstitutional. First, he argues tha t this provision runs afoul of the doctrine of the separation of powers. Second, he argues that this provision does not adequately protect the procedural due proces s rights of offenders. Third, he asserts that this provision violates his right to a t rial by jury. 2 We will examine each of these arguments in turn. {¶10} In his first argument, Crawford asks us to reverse our preceden t in

State v. Hacker where we considered the same separation of powers arguments th at are raised in this appeal. State v. Hacker , 3d Dist. Logan No. 8-20-01, 2020-Ohio5048, ¶ 22. In Hacker , the appellant raised a facial challenge to the Reagan Tokes

Law. Id . Following the Second and Twelfth Districts, we determined th at this provision did not run afoul of the doctrine of separation of po wers. Id

. See State v.

2 Crawford’s argument about his ri ght to a trial by jury is one of the arguments that he advances to establish that the Reagan Tokes Law does not adequately protect his proce dural due process rights. However, we have not considered the right to a trial by jury in the context of t he Reagan Tokes Law previously. See Hacker, supra , at ¶ 17. For this reason, we will consider it separately fro m the other due process arguments.Case No. 7-20-05

-7- Barnes , 2d Dist. Montgomery No. 28613, 2020-Ohio-4150, ¶ 32; State v. Guyton , 12th Dist. Butler No. CA2019-12-203, 2020-Ohio-3837, ¶ 17. 3 At this juncture, we decline to revisit our precedent. See State v. Kepling , 3d Dist. Hancock No. 5-20- 23, 2020-Ohio-6888, ¶ 7. As a consequence, we conclude that Cr awford’s first argument is without merit. {¶11} In his second argument, Crawford asserts that “[t]he constituti onal deficiencies in Reagan Tokes challenge some of the most basic p rotections afforded by the Sixth and Fourteenth Amendments.” Appellant’s Brief, 9. However, in

Hacker , we rejected a facial challenge to the Reagan Tokes Law in whi ch the appellant argued that this provision unconstitutionally failed to provide adequate procedural due process safeguards in its text. Hacker at ¶ 23. Thus, insofar as this appeal presents a facial challenge to the Reagan Tokes Law on t he grounds that its text does not set forth sufficient procedural due process prote ctions, we rely on our prior holding in Hacker and find these arguments to be without merit. Id

. See State v. Kepling , 3d Dist. Hancock No. 5-20-23, 2020-Ohio 6888, ¶ 12. {¶12} Crawford also asserts that he “cannot be deprived of his expect ation of liberty at his expected release date by the [Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and

3 We are aware that the Fourth, Fifth, and Sixth Districts found that separation of powers and due process arguments that are similar to those raised by Crawford in this appeal were not yet ripe for review. See State v. Ramey, 4th Dist. Washington Nos. 20CA1, 20CA2, 2020-Ohio-6733, ¶ 22; State v. Downard , 5th Dist. Muskingum No. CT2019-0079, 2020-Ohio-4227, ¶ 5, 12-13; State v. Velliquette , 6th Dist. Lucas No. L-19- 1232, 2020-Ohio-4855, ¶ 30. We also note that, on December 28, 2020, the Supreme Court of Ohio accepted a case to determine whether the constitutionality of the Reagan Tokes Law is ripe for review. State v. Maddox , 160 Ohio St.3d 1505, 2020-Ohio-6913, 159 N.E.3d 1150.Case No. 7-20-05

-8- Correction (“ODRC”)] without receiving due process.” Appellant ’s Brief, 9. In State v. Kepling , the appellant argued that offenders might not receive adequat e notice and an opportunity to be heard. Kepling at ¶ 13. These arguments went “beyond the actual content of the Reagan Tokes Law * * *” and “ assert[ed] that [an offender’s] due process rights might not be properly protected at some future date or that proper administrative guidelines may not be in place at that time.” Id . Since these arguments “rest[ed] on contingent future events that may not occur as anticipated or may never occur at all,” we found that these arg uments were not yet ripe for review. Id . at ¶ 15, quoting State v. Loving , 180 Ohio App.3d 424, 2009- Ohio-15, 905 N.E.2d 1234, ¶ 4. {¶13} Turning to the case presently before this Court, Crawford raise s arguments about whether his “fair notice of accusations[] and a ssistance of counsel” will be adequate in the event that the ODRC acts to keep him be yond his presumptive release date. Appellant’s Brief, 7. But at this t ime, we do not know if

Crawford will ever face such action from the ODRC. See Kepling at ¶ 14. We also do not know what administrative guidelines will be in place to protect the procedural due process rights of offenders in the future if ODRC ever acts to hold Crawford beyond his presumptive release date. Id . Following the reasoning of Kepling , we conclude that this class of procedural due process arguments is not yet ripe for

review. Id . Thus, we decline to review these arguments at this time.Case No. 7-20-05

-9- {¶14} In his third argument, Crawford asserts that the Reagan Tokes L aw violates his right to a trial by jury as he could be kept beyon d his presumptive release date for violations that were not tried before a jury. In his earlier separation of powers arguments, Crawford raised a facial challenge to the Rea gan Tokes Law on the grounds that it unconstitutionally authorized indefinite se ntencing. Further, Crawford raised this challenge after he had received an indefinite sentence under this provision. In contrast, his arguments about his right to a trial by jury revolve around whether he could, at some date in the future, be kept pa st his presumptive release date for various violations that he may or may not comm it. {¶15} At this point, we cannot know if Crawford will commit violation s that might prompt an ODRC hearing to decide whether to hold him past his presumptive release date. This argument does not address a penalty that Cr awford has already received but is based on contingent events that may or may not arise in the future. Thus, this issue is not yet ripe for our consideration. As suc h, we decline to review this issue at this time. In conclusion, Crawford has not, in a ny of these three arguments, carried the burden of demonstrating defects in the p roceedings before the trial court. Thus, he has not established plain error. Fo r this reason, his first assignment of error is overruled. Second Assignment of Error {¶16} Crawford argues that his trial counsel was ineffective for fail ing to challenge the constitutionality of the Reagan Tokes Law before the trial court.Case No. 7-20-05

-10- Legal Standard {¶17} “Under Ohio law, ‘a properly licensed attorney is presumed to c arry out his duties in a competent manner.’” State v. Harvey , 3d Dist. Marion No. 9-19- 34, 2020-Ohio-329, ¶ 57, quoting State v. Gee , 3d Dist. Putnam No. 12-92-9, 1993 WL 270995 (July 22, 1993). For this reason, the appellant has the burden of proving that he or she was denied the right to the effective assistance of counsel. State v.

Brown , 3d Dist. Hancock No. 5-17-19, 2018-Ohio-899, ¶ 42. {¶18} “In order to prove an ineffective assistance of counsel claim, the appellant must carry the burden of establishing (1) that his or her counsel’s performance was deficient and (2) that this deficient performan ce prejudiced the

defendant.” State v. McWay , 3d Dist. Allen No. 1-17-42, 2018-Ohio-3618, ¶ 24, quoting Strickland v. Washington , 466 U.S. 668, 687, 104 S.Ct. 2052, 80 L.Ed.2d 674 (1984). If the appellant does not establish one of these t wo prongs, the appellate

court does not need to consider the facts of the case under the other prong of the

test. State v. Baker , 3d Dist. Allen No. 1-17-61, 2018-Ohio-3431, ¶ 19, citing State

v. Walker , 2016-Ohio-3499, 66 N.E.3d 349, ¶ 20 (3d Dist.). {¶19} In order to establish deficient performance, the appellant must

demonstrate that trial “counsel made errors so serious that cou nsel was not functioning as the ‘counsel’ guaranteed the defendant by the Si xth Amendment.” State v. Howton, 3d Dist. Allen No. 1-16-35, 2017-Ohio-4349, ¶ 35, quoting

Strickland at 687. Generally, “[a] claim of ineffective assistance of co unsel isCase No. 7-20-05

-11- waived by a guilty plea * * *.” State v. Pettaway , 3d Dist. Seneca No. 13-14-20, 2015-Ohio-226, ¶ 12. Trial “counsel need not raise meritless i ssues or even all arguably meritorious issues for that matter.” State v. Jones , 91 Ohio St.3d 335, 354, 744 N.E.2d 1163, 1183 (2001). {¶20} In order to establish prejudice, “the defendant must show a rea sonable probability that, but for counsel’s errors, the result of the p roceeding would have

been different.” Davis, supra , at ¶ 36, quoting State v. Bibbs , 2016-Ohio-8396, 78 N.E.3d 343, ¶ 13 (3d Dist.). Thus, “[t]o establish prejudice w hen ineffective assistance of counsel relates to a guilty plea, a defendant mus t show there is a reasonable probability that but for counsel’s deficient or unre asonable performance the defendant would not have pled guilty. State v. Brown , 3d Dist. Union No. 14- 08-11, 2008-Ohio-4649, ¶ 28. For this reason, “the failure to do a futile act cannot

be the basis for claims of ineffective assistance of counsel an d is not prejudicial.” State v. Witherspoon , 8th Dist. No. 94475, 2011-Ohio-704, ¶ 33. Legal Analysis {¶21} Crawford argues that his trial counsel was ineffective for fail ing to raise the issues that were argued under the first assignment of error. Having examined these arguments on appeal, we concluded that Crawford did not identify any defects in the proceedings before the trial court. Crawfor d cannot demonstrate how the outcome of the proceedings below would have been differ ent “if his defense counsel had raised * * * challenge[s] before the trial court th at ha[ve] since failedCase No. 7-20-05

-12- on appeal.” State v. Lewis , 3d Dist. Van Wert No. 15-20-04, 2020-Ohio-6894, ¶ 86. For this reason, he cannot carry the burden of demonstrating pr ejudice. Since Crawford has not successfully established an ineffective assist ance of counsel claim, his second assignment of error is overruled. Third Assignment of Error {¶22} Crawford argues that the trial court erred by ordering him to p ay restitution to a governmental entity that does not qualify as a victim. Legal Standard {¶23} R.C. 2929.18(A)(1) authorizes a trial court to order an offende r to pay restitution as a financial sanction. R.C. 2929.18(A)(1). Unde r this provision, a trial court may impose [r]estitution by the offender to the victim of the offender’s c rime or any survivor of the victim, in an amount based on the victim ’s economic loss. * * * If the court imposes restitution, the cou rt may base the amount of restitution it orders on an amount recommended by the victim, the offender, a presentence investigation report, estimates or receipts indicating the cost of repairing or replacing property, and other information, provide d that the amount the court orders as restitution shall not excee d the amount of the economic loss suffered by the victim as a dir ect and proximate result of the commission of the offense. If the court imposes restitution for the cost of accounting or auditing done to determine the extent of economic loss, the court may order restitution for any amount of the victim’s costs of accounting or auditing provided that the amount of restitution is reasonable and does not exceed the value of property or services stolen or damaged as a result of the offense. * * *.Case No. 7-20-05

-13- R.C. 2929.18(A)(1). “Accordingly, ‘the right to order restitut ion is limited to the actual damage or loss caused by the offense of which the defend ant is convicted.’”

State v. Toler , 174 Ohio App.3d 335, 2007-Ohio-6967, 882 N.E.2d 28, ¶ 11 (3d Dist.), quoting State v. Williams , 34 Ohio App.3d 33, 34, 516 N.E.2d 1270 (2d Dist. 1986). {¶24} Further, based on the “plain language” of R.C. 2929.18(A)(1), t his Court has previously determined that the Ohio General Assembly intended that restitution only b e available to the actual crime victims. State v. Samuels , 4th Dist. No. 03CA8, 2003-Ohio-6106, at ¶ 5. “A ‘victim’ is generally defined as the person who was ‘the object’ of the crime—e.g. th e victim of the robbery is the person who was robbed.” Id ., citing Black’s Law Dictionary (5th Ed.1979) 1405. State v. Christy , 3d Dist. Wyandot No. 16-04-04, 2004-Ohio-6963, ¶ 16. “But th e general rule in Ohio has been that governmental agencies are no t victims of crimes to which they respond in their official capacities.” City of Centerville v. Knab , 2020- Ohio-5219, --- N.E.3d ---, ¶ 20. In certain circumstances, a government entity may be considered a victim of a crime under R.C. 2929.18(A)(1): For example, whe n government funds are embezzled or when government property is vandalized. [ Samuels, supra , at ¶ 5]. However, a government entity voluntarily advancing its own funds to pursue a drug buy through an informant is not one of the scenarios contemplated b y R.C. 2929.18(A)(1). State v. Pietrangelo , 11th Dist. Lake No. 2003-L-125, 2005-Ohio-1686, ¶ 15. Thus, “government entities do not constitute ‘victims’ entitled to re stitution for theirCase No. 7-20-05

-14- expenditure of public funds in the pursuit of fighting crime.” State v. Wolf , 176 Ohio App.3d 165, 2008-Ohio-1483, 891 N.E.2d 358, ¶ 40 (3d Dist. ). Legal Analysis {¶25} The trial court ordered Crawford to pay $10,600.00 in restituti on to a governmental entity: the MAN Unit. Doc. 35. However, in this case, the MAN

Unit did not suffer economic losses as the victim of Crawford’s criminal offenses. Rather, the MAN Unit voluntarily expended funds as the investig ator of Crawford’s

criminal offenses. 4 See Knab, supra , at ¶ 20; Wolf, supra , at ¶ 40; Pietrangelo,

supra, at ¶ 15. This Court has previously held that restitution is no t available as a financial sanction to reimburse governmental entities that “vol untarily advanc[e] its own funds to pursue a drug buy through an informant * * *.” State v. Dietrich , 3d Dist. Allen No. 1-10-76, 2011-Ohio-4347, ¶ 31. {¶26} Other courts have reached the same conclusion. See State v. Brewer , 2017-Ohio-119, 80 N.E.3d 1257, ¶ 24 (2d Dist.); State v. Coleman , 4th Dist. Highland No. 16CA18, 2018-Ohio-1709, ¶ 22; State v. Justice , 5th Dist. Fairfield No. 09-CA-66, 2010-Ohio-4781, ¶ 30; State v. Williams , 6th Dist. Sandusky No. S13-007, 2013-Ohio-4838, ¶ 11; State v. Ferguson , 10th Dist. Franklin No. 13AP891, 2014-Ohio-3153, ¶ 29; State v. Ballard , 12th Dist. Butler No. CA2014-09-197,

4 This Court has previously held that a trial court may order a defendant to pay for the costs a government entity incurs during the course of an investigation if the defe ndant “explicitly agreed to do so as part of a negotiated plea agreement.” See State v. Baker , 3d Dist. Allen No. 1-11-49, 2012-Ohio-1890, ¶ 11. However, there is no evidence in the record that Crawford made such an a greement. Doc. 30.Case No. 7-20-05

-15- 2015-Ohio-2084, ¶ 16. We conclude that the trial court erred b y ordering Crawford to pay restitution to the MAN Unit for the funds it expended in the controlled buys. Thus, Crawford’s third assignment of error is sustained.

Conclusion {¶27} Having found no error prejudicial to the appellant in the parti culars assigned and argued in his first and second assignments of erro r, the judgment of the Henry County Court of Common Pleas is affirmed as to these issues. However, having found error prejudicial to the appellant in the particul ars assigned and argued in his third assignment of error, the judgment of the Henry Cou nty Court of Common Pleas is reversed as to this issue. Therefore, this caus e of action is remanded to the trial court for further proceedings consistent with this opinion. Judgment Affirmed in Part Reversed in Part And Cause Remanded

ZIMMERMAN and SHAW, J.J., concur.

/hls