SECOND DI VI SI ON

A NDREWS, P. J.

M I L LER A ND BRA NCH, JJ.

N O T IC E : M otions for r e c ons i de r a tion m us t be phy s ic a lly re ce iv e d i n our c le r k ’s offic e w ithin te n da y s of the da te of de c is ion to be de e m ed tim e ly file d.

http://w w w .ga a ppe a l s .us /r ule s

October 7, 2015



# I n th e Co u r t o f

A p p eals o f

G eo r g ia

A1 5 A0 86 0 . EVANS v . THE STATE.

M I LLE R , J u d ge.

Fo l l owi n g a b en ch tri al

, D o u g l as Ev an s was fo un d g u i l t y o f o n e co u n t o f ch i ld

m o les t at i o n (OCGA § 1 6 -6 -4 (a)) an d o ne co u n t o f s e x u al ex p l o i t at i o n o f ch i l d ren

(OCGA § 1 6 -1 2 -1 0 0 (b )). 1 In s en t en ci n g Ev an s, t h e t ri al co urt refu sed t o d ev i at e fro m

t h e m an d at ory m i ni m

u m s en ten ce fo r ch il d m ol es t at i on u nd er OCGA § 17 -1 0 -6 .2 (c)

(1 ) (C) b ecau s e t h e t ri al co u rt fo u n d t h at Ev an s ’ s co n v i ct i o n fo r s ex u al ex p l o i t at i o n

o f ch i l dren was a “ rel ev an t s i m i l ar t ran s act i o n .” Ev an s ap p eal s, co n t en d i n g t h at t h e

t ri al co u rt erred i n co n s i d eri n g t h e s ex u al ex p l o i t at io n offen s e as a “ rel ev an t s i m i l ar

t ran s act io n ” b ecau s e i t was ch arg ed i n t h e sam e i nd i ct m en t as t h e ch i l d m o l es t at i o n

co u nt . Fo r t h e reas o n s t h at fo l l o w, we affi rm

.

1 Ev an s was acq u i t t ed o f an o t h er co u nt o f s ex u al ex p l o i t at i o n o f ch i l d ren

.Th e in t erp ret at i o n o f O CGA § 1 7-1 0 -6 .2 (c) (1 ) (C) i s a qu es t i o n o f l aw, wh i ch

we rev i ew d e n o v o

. See Jen ki n s v. S t a t e , 2 84 Ga. 6 4 2, 6 4 5 (2 ) ( 6 7 0 SE2 d 4 2 5 )

(2 0 0 8).

Al t h ou g h o u r d eci s i o n i s b as ed o n t h e l a n gu ag e o f t h e st at u t e, t h e ev i d en ce

fro m Ev an s ’ s t ri al

, w hen v i ewed i n a l i g h t m os t fav orab l e t o t h e v erd i ct

, 2 s h o ws t h at

aro u n d 2 0 0 5 or 2 0 0 6

, t h e th en fo u r- o r fi v e-y ear-o ld vi ct i m an d h er m o t h er m et Ev an s

at ch urch

, an d th ey b ecam e fri en d l y wi th h im s i n ce h e was i n vo l v ed wi t h t h e ch u rch ’ s

y o u t h gro u p

. Th e v ict i m referred to Ev an s as “ M o o se.” Ev en t u al l y , th e v i ct i m b eg an

t o s t ay o v ern i g h t at Ev an s ’ s h o u s e o n ce a week

.

At t h es e o vern i gh t s tay s , Ev a n s i n s tru ct ed t h e v ict i m to t ak e a b at h

. Aft er

d ry i ng h er o ff, Ev an s d i rect ed t h e v i c t i m t o li e o n h i s bed

, wh ereu p on h e ru b b ed

l o t i o n o n t h e her b o t t o m , b ack an d leg s

. On o n e occas i o n , Ev an s a t t e m p t e d t o ru b

l o t i o n o n t h e v i ct i m ’ s v ag i na, b u t t h e v i c t i m s m ack ed h i s h an d away an d t o l d h i m ,

“ n o .” Ev an s al s o k i s s ed t h e v i ct i m o n h er h ead , l i p s , an d b o t t om

.

In 2 0 0 9

, wh en t h e v ict i m was ei g h t y ears o l d

, s h e t o l d h er t each er t h at “ M o o s e”

h ad k is s ed h er an d t h at he h ad ru b b ed l o t i on o n h er b ot t o m an d v ag i n a. Th e t each er

rep o rt ed t h e i n ci d en t t o t h e s ch o o l co u n sel o r an d t h e p ri n ci p al

.

2 Ja cks o n v. Vi r

gi n i a , 4 4 3 U. S. 3 07 (9 9 SCt 2 7 8 1 , 6 1 LE2 d 5 6 0 ) (1 9 7 9 ).

2Fo l l owi n g t h e v i ct i m ’ s d i s cl o s u re, a p o l i ce o ffi cer co n d u ct ed a fo ren s i c

i n t erv i ew wh ere t h e vi ct i m reco u n t ed wh at Ev an s h ad d o n e an d rev eal ed t h at Ev an s

h a d al so t ak en p i ct ures o f h er. Po l i ce offi cers t hen o bt ai n ed an d ex ecu t ed a s earch

wa r ran t t o s earch el ect ro n i c s to rag e d ev i ces at Ev an s ’ s h o m e. Th e p o l i ce o ffi cers

u n co vered el ect ro n ic m ed i a co n t ai n i n g i m ag es o f y o u n g ch i ld ren i nv o lv ed i n s ex u al

act i vi t i es , i n cl u d i n g s em i -n u d e p h o t o g rap h s o f t h e v i ct i m

.

Fo l l owi n g t h e pres en t at i o n o f ev i d en ce, th e t ri al co u rt fo u nd E v an s g u i l t y o f

ch i l d m o l es t at io n an d s ex u al ex p l o i t at i o n of ch i l d ren

. At s en t en ci n g , Ev an s ’ s co u n s el

arg u ed t h at t h e co u rt s h ou l d n o t i m p o s e a len g t hy p ri s o n s en t en ce. Th e t ri al co u rt

fo u n d th at it w as n o t al lo wed t o s en t en ce Ev an s to l es s th an fi v e y ears t o s erv e fo r t h e

ch i l d m o les t at i o n co n v i ct io n b ecau se h is s ex u al ex pl o i t at i o n o f ch i l d ren co n v i ct i o n

was a “ rel ev an t s i m i l ar t ran s act i o n ” t h at p recl u d ed a d ev iat i o n u n d er OCGA § 1 7 -1 0

-

6 .2 (c) (1 ) (C). Th e tri al co u rt s en t en ced Ev an s t o 2 0 wi th 5 y ears to serv e o n t h e ch i ld

m o les t at i o n ch arg e an d 5 y ears t o s erv e co n cu rren t l y fo r t h e s ex u al ex p l o i t at i o n

co n vi ct i o n

.

On ap p eal

, Ev an s co n t en d s t h at th e t ri al co urt erred i n fi n d i n g t hat t h e s ex u al

ex p lo i t at io n o f ch i l d ren co n v i ct i o n was a rel ev an t s i m i l ar t ran s act i o n fo r p u rp o s es o f

OCGA § 1 7 -1 0 -6 .2 (c) (1 ) (C) b e c a u s e t wo ch arg es jo i n ed fo r t ri al are n o t s i m i l ar

3t ran s act io n s as a m at t er o f l aw an d t h e l eg i s l at u re i n t en d ed fo r “ rel ev an t s i m i l ar

t r a n s a c t io n s ” t o be li m i t ed t o i n d ep en d en t

, ex t ri n s ic act s s ep arat e fro m t h e t ri e d

o ffen s es . W e d i sag ree.

Un d er OCGA § 1 7 -1 0-6 .2

, i f a defen d an t i s co n v i ct ed o f a s e x u a l o ffen s e,

wh i ch i n cl u d es t h e o ffen s es o f ch i l d m o l es t at i o n an d s ex u al ex p l o i t at io n o f ch i l d ren ,

t h e t ri al co u rt m

u s t im p o s e a s en t en ce t h at i n cl u d es a m in i m u m t i m e t o b e s erv ed in

p ri s o n

. See OCGA § 17 -1 0 -6 .2 (a) (5 ),(1 0 ), & (b ). Th e t ri al co u rt i s p ro h i b i t ed fro m

p ro b at i n g , s u s p en di n g , s t ay i n g , d eferri n g, o r wi th h ol d i n g an y o f t he m an d at o ry t erm

o f i m p ri s o n m en t s t at ed fo r an y o f th e s p eci fi ed o ffen s es

. OCGA § 1 7 -1 0 -6 .2 (b ). If

al l o f t he cri t eri a l i s ted i n OCGA § 1 7 -1 0 -6 .2 (c) (1 ) h av e b een m et

, th e t ri al co u rt h as

t h e d i scret i o n t o d ev iat e fro m t h e m an d at o ry m i n i m u m p ri s o n s en t en ce. See OCGA

§ 1 7 -1 0 -6 .2 (c) (1 ) (A)

- (F); Hed d en v. S t a t e , 2 8 8 Ga. 8 7 1

, 8 7 4 (7 0 8 SE2 d 2 8 7 )

(2 0 1 1). T h e pert i n en t fact or i n t h i s cas e i s t h at “ [t ] h e co urt h as no t fo u n d ev i d en ce o f

a rel ev an t s i m i l ar t ran s act i on

. ” OCGA § 1 7 -1 0 -6 .2 (c) (1 ) (C). Th u s , t h e p o s s i b i l i t y

o f a red u ced pri so n s en t en ce i s fo recl o s ed if t h e t ri al co urt h as “ fo u n d ev i d en ce o f a

rel ev an t s i m i l ar t ran s act io n .” Id

.

Th e p h ras e “ rel ev an t s i m i l ar t ran sact i o n ” i s n ot d efi n ed b y OCGA § 1 7 -1 0 -6 .2

.

4Ho wev er, “ [i ] n al l i n t erp ret at i o n s o f s t at ut es , t h e co u rt s s h al l l o o k d i l i gen tl y fo r t h e

i n t en t i o n o f t he Gen eral As sem b l y , keep in g in v i ew at al l t i m es t h e o l d law, t h e ev i l

,

an d t he rem ed y .” OCGA § 1 -3 -1 (a). In d et erm i n i n g t h e Leg i s l at u re’ s i nt en t

, we m u s t

fi rs t b eg i n wi t h t h e t ex t o f t h e s t at u t e. See Fa i r v. S ta t e , 2 8 8 Ga. 2 4 4, 2 52 (2 ) (7 0 2

SE2 d 4 2 0) (2 0 1 0 ). “ [W ] h ere t h e l i t eral tex t o f a s t at u t e i s p lai n an d d oes n o t l ead t o

ab s u rd o r i m

p ract icab l e co n s eq u en ces , we ap p ly t h e s t at u t e as wri tt en wi t h o u t fu rt h er

i n q u i ry

. ”(Ci t a t i o n o m i t t ed .) Sp i vey v. S t a t e , 2 7 4 Ga. Ap p

. 8 3 4

, 8 3 5 (1 ) (6 1 9 SE2 d

3 4 6 ) (2 0 0 5 ).

Here, al t h o ug h “ rel ev an t s i m i l ar t ran s act i o n” i s u n d efi n ed

, t he Leg i s l at u re’ s

i n t en t i s cl ear. Th e Leg i sl at ure u n am b i g uo u sl y co ns i d ers t h e o ffen s es o f s ex u al

ex p l o i t a t i o n o f ch il d ren an d ch i l d m o l es t at i on t o b e rel ev an t s im il ar t ran s act i on s

b ecau s e t h ey are b o t h d efi ned as “ s ex u al o ffen s es ” fo r O CGA § 1 7 -1 0 -6

. 2 pu rp o s es

.

M o r e o v er, t h e Leg i s l at u re en act ed OCGA § 1 7 -1 0 -6 .2 i n 2 0 0 6

. See Ga. L

.

2 0 0 6

, p p

. 3 9 5 -3 9 6, § 2 1

. Lo n g b efo re t h e s t at u t e’ s en act m en t

, i t was w el l es t ab l i s h ed

t h at

, at sen t en ci n g , t h e t ri al co u r t co u l d co n s i d er an y ev i d en ce t h at was p ro p erl y

a d m i t t ed d u ri n g t h e g u i l t -i n no cen ce p has e o f t h e t ri al

. See Bl a ke v. S t a t e , 2 7 3 Ga

.

4 4 7

, 4 5 0 (4 ) (5 4 2 SE2 d 4 92 ) (2 0 0 1 ); cf. In g ra m v. S t a t e , 2 62 Ga. A p p

. 3 0 4

, 3 0 8 (4 )

(c) (5 8 5 SE2 d 21 1 ) (2 0 03 ) (“ [S]e n t e n c i n g co u rt s are au t h o ri zed t o co n s i d er in

5ag g rav at i o n an y l awfu l ev id en ce wh i ch t en d s to s h o w t h e m o ti v e o f t h e d efen d an t

, h i s

l ack of rem o rs e, h i s g en eral m o ral ch aract er, an d h i s p red i s p o s i t i o n t o co m m i t o t h er

cri m e.”) (fo o t n o t e o m it t ed ). Gi v en t h e ex i s ti ng s t at e of t h e l aw wh en t h e Leg i s l at u re

en act ed OCGA § 1 7-1 0 -6 .2

, we p res um e t h at t he Leg i s l at u re wo u l d a l l o w t h e t ri al

co u rt

, at s en ten ci n g, t o co n si d er al l ev i d en ce i n t ro d u ced at t h e d efen d an t ’ s t ri al

,

i n cl u d i n g ev i den ce o f an o th er i n d ict ed s ex ual o ffen s e, i n d et erm i n i ng wh et h er t h ere

was ev i d en ce o f a r e l e v a nt s i m i l ar t ran s act i on

. See Fa i r , s u p ra, 2 8 8 Ga. 2 4 4 at 2 5 2

(2 ) (“ [I] n i n t erp ret i n g a s t at u t e, we m u s t p res um e t h at t h e Gen eral As s em b ly h ad fu l l

k n o wl ed g e o f t h e ex is t i n g s t at e o f t h e l aw an d en act ed t h e s t at u te wi t h referen ce to

i t

. ”) (ci tat i on an d p u n ct u at i o n o m i t t ed ).

Ev an s ci t es t o A l

g r en v. S t a t e , 3 3 0 Ga. Ap p

. 1

, 5 -6 (2 ) (7 6 4 SE2 d 6 11 ) (2 0 1 4 ),

an d OCGA § 2 4 -4 -4 0 4 t o s u p p ort h i s co n t en t i on t h at t h e p h ras e “ s i m i l ar t ran s act i o n ”

h as g en eral l y b een u n ders to od t o m ean i n d e p en d en t, ex t ri n s i c act s

. Ev an s fai l s to

ap p reci at e t h at t h e b o d y o f law h e rel i es u po n g o vern s t h e ad m i s s i b i l i t y an d l i m i t ed

p u rp os e o f ev i d en ce of s i m i l ar t ran sact i o n s i n t h e g u i l t -i n n ocen ce p h as e, n o t ev i d en ce

u s ed at t h e s en t en ci n g p h as e. Th u s , wh i l e O CGA § 2 4 -4 -4 0 4 g o vern s t h e g en eral

ad m i s s i b i l i t y o f ev i d en ce o f ex t ri n s i c act s , OCGA § 1 7 -1 0 -6

. 2 s peci fi cal l y g o v ern s

t h e sen t en ci n g o f s ex u al o ffen s es , an d “ [f] o r p u rp o s es o f s tat u t o ry in t erp ret at i o n , a

6s p eci fi c s t at u t e wi l l p rev ai l o v er a g en eral s tat u t e, ab s en t an y i nd i cat i o n of a co n t rary

l eg i s lat i v e i n t en t .” (Ci tat i o n o m i t t ed .) V i n es v. S t a t e , 2 6 9 G a

. 4 3 8, 4 4 0 (4 9 9 SE2 d

6 3 0 ) (1 9 9 8 ).

M o reo v er,

[s ] t at u t es s ho u l d b e read acco rd i ng t o t h e n at u ral an d m o s t o b v i o u s i m p o rt o f t h e l an g u ag e, w i t ho u t res o rt i n g t o s u bt l e an d fo rced

co n s t ru ct io n s , f

o r t h e p u rp o s e o f ei t h er li m i ti n g o r ex ten d i n g t h ei r

o p erat i o n , and t

his pr inc iple is p a r

ticu larl y co m

p el l i n g wh en i n terp ret i n g cri m i n al s tat u t es

.

(Ci t at i o n an d p u n ct u at i o n o m i t t ed .) S t a t e v. Jo h ns o n , 2 6 9 Ga. 3 70

, 3 7 1 (1 ) (4 9 9 SE2 d

5 6 ) (1 9 9 8 ). Acco rd i n gl y , t h i s Co u rt m us t read O CGA § 1 7 -1 0 -6 .2 i n co n j u n ct i o n wi th

OCGA § 2 4 -4 -4 14 wh i ch p ro v i d es t h at in a cri m i n al p ro ceed i n g i n w h i ch t h e

d efen d an t i s accu s ed o f a ch i l d m o l es tat i on o ffen s e, ev i d en ce o f t he d efen d an t ’ s

co m m i s s io n o f an o t h er o ffen s e o f ch i l d m o les t at io n , th e d efi n it i o n of wh i ch i n cl u d es

t h e offen s e o f s ex u al ex p l o i t at i o n o f ch i l d ren , s h a l l b e ad m i s s ib l e an d m ay b e

co n si d ered fo r i ts b eari n g o n an y m at t er t o w h i ch i t i s rel ev an t

. Gi ven t h i s l an g u ag e,

Ev an s fo rces a co n s t ru ct i o n o f OCGA § 1 7 -1 0

- 6

. 2 t h a t wo u l d l ead t o ab s u rd

co n seq u e n c e s

. I n t hi s cas e, t h e t ri al co u rt d en i ed Ev an s ’ s m o t i o n t o s ev er th e ch i ld

m o les t at i o n co un t fro m t h e t wo co u n t s o f s ex u al ex p l o i t at io n o f ch i l d ren

. Had t h e t ri al

co u rt g ran t ed Ev an s ’ s m o t i o n , t here w o u l d b e n o q u es t i o n th at t h e ev i d en ce

7u n d erl y i n g h is s ex u al ex p lo it a t i o n o f ch i l dren wo u l d b e ad m i s s i b l e as a s i m i l ar

t ran s act io n i n t h e t ri al o n t h e ch i l d m o l es t at i o n co u n t

. See OCGA § 24 -4 -4 14

. Si nce

s ev eran ce o f t h e s i m i l ar s ex u al o ffen s es was n o t req u i red

, 3 i t seem s i m p lau s i b l e t h at

t h e Leg i s l at u re wo u l d al l o w a d efen d an t co nv i ct ed o f m o re t h an o n e s ex u al o ffen s e

t o b e el i g i bl e fo r a do wn ward d ev iat i o n fro m th e m an dat o ry m i n im um s en t en ce

s i m p l y b ecau se t h e offen s es were t ri ed t o g et h er, rat h er th an s ev ered fro m o n e an o t h er.

I n l i g h t of t h e fo reg oi n g , we co ncl u d e t hat t h e p h ras e “ rel ev an t s i m i l ar

t ran s act io n ” u n der OCGA § 1 7 -1 0 -6 .2 (c) (1 ) (C) in cl u d es a co nv i ct i o n fo r a s ex u al

o ffen s e ch arg ed wi th in t h e s am e i n d i ct m en t as t he o ffen s e fo r wh ich a d ev i at i o n fro m

t h e m an d at o ry m i n i m

u m s en t en ce i s co n s i dered

. Acco rd in g l y , w e a f f i rm t h e t ri al

co u rt ’ s ju d g m en t

.

Ju d g men t a f f i r m ed . An d

r ews , P. J., a n d

Br an ch , J., co n cu r

.

3 See S t ewa rt v. S t a t e , 27 7 Ga. 1 3 8

, 14 0 (5 8 7 SE2 d 6 0 2 ) (2 0 0 3 ) (“ [S] ev eran ce i s n o t m an d at o ry w h en ev i d en ce o f o ne o ffen s e i s ad m is si b l e u p on t h e t ri al o f an o t h er

o ffen s e”) (ci tat i o n an d em p has is o m i t t ed ); Di cker

s o n v. S ta te

, 3 0 4 Ga. A p p

. 7 6 2

, 7 6 4

- 7 6 5 (1 ) (6 97 SE2 d 87 4 ) (2 0 1 0) (wh ere t ri al co u rt fo u n d t h a t s e x u a l ex p l o i t at i o n ch arg e wo ul d h av e b een ad m i s s i b l e as s im i l ar t ran s act i o n ev i d en ce t o t h e ch i ld

m o les t at i o n ch arg e, t ri al co urt d i d n o t err i n refu s in g t o s ev er ch arg es ).

89