Case Name: COMMONWEALTH of Pennsylvania, Appellant, v. Carl W. POKORNY, Appellee
Court: Superior Court of Pennsylvania
Jurisdiction: Pennsylvania
Decision Date: 1987-01-26
Citations: 360 Pa. Super. 384
Docket Number: 1134
Parties: COMMONWEALTH of Pennsylvania, Appellant, v. Carl W. POKORNY, Appellee.
Judges: Before CAVANAUGH, POPOVICH and MONTGOMERY, JJ.
Reporter: Pennsylvania Superior Court Reports
Volume: 360
Pages: 384–389

Head Matter:
520 A.2d 511
COMMONWEALTH of Pennsylvania, Appellant, v. Carl W. POKORNY, Appellee.
Superior Court of Pennsylvania.
Submitted June 16, 1986.
Filed Jan. 26, 1987.
Robert L. Eberhardt, Deputy District Attorney, Pittsburgh, for Com., appellant.
Joseph G. Kanfoush, Pittsburgh, for appellee.
Before CAVANAUGH, POPOVICH and MONTGOMERY, JJ.

Opinion:
MONTGOMERY, Judge:
This is the companion case to Commonwealth v. Septak, 359 Pa.Super. 375, 518 A.2d 1284 (1986), which was recently filed. In the instant matter the Commonwealth alleges that the trial court erroneously failed to apply the deadly weapon enhancement provision of the Sentencing Guidelines to appellee's sentence. The Commonwealth further alleges that the sentence imposed was outside of the Sentencing Guidelines and unreasonable due to the court's failure to apply the aforementioned enhancement provision. We find that the sentencing court erred in failing to apply the deadly weapon enhancement provision for those reasons set forth in Septak, supra, and reverse and remand for resentencing.
We first note that as required by 42 Pa.C.S. § 9781(b), we find that there is a substantial question that the sentence imposed was not appropriate under the Sentencing Guidelines and will permit this appeal by the Commonwealth. Commonwealth v. Mattis, 352 Pa.Super. 144, 146-47, 507 A.2d 423, 424 (1986).
Appellee's pleas of guilty to unlawful restraint and criminal conspiracy resulted from his participation in the events of November 10th through 12th of 1982, when one Robert Johns was abducted and held for ransom. The record reveals that appellee pointed a loaded gun at the victim. It is also undisputed that the criminal information and the Commonwealth's offer of proof during the guilty plea hearing included evidence of appellee's possession of a gun. However, since the Commonwealth did not specifically state during the guilty plea hearing that deadly weapon enhancement would be sought at sentencing, the sentencing court refused to consider appplication of the enhancement provision. Instead, the court imposed a sentence of four (4) to twenty-three (23) months which was within the minimum range of the recommended guidelines sentence unenhanced by the deadly weapon provision.
For the reasons set forth in Septak, supra, we conclude that the sentencing court erroneously refused to apply the deadly weapon enhancement provision. It is therefore necessary to vacate the sentence and remand for resentencing. Commonwealth v. Drumgoole, 341 Pa.Super. 468, 474-76, 491 A.2d 1352, 1355 (1985).
The Commonwealth also claims that the sentence herein is outside the guidelines and unreasonable as the result of the court's failure to apply the deadly weapon enhancement provision. The Commonwealth supports its assertion by suggesting that this matter is controlled by 42 Pa.C.S. § 9781(c)(3), which requires us to vacate and remand where the sentence is outside the guidelines and unreasonable. The Commonwealth relies upon the wrong subsection of 9781 however, for the court herein erroneously concluded that deadly weapon enhancement should not be applied, but purportedly imposed a sentence of imprisonment within the minimum range of the unenhanced guidelines. The applicable provision is therefore 42 Pa.C.S. § 9781(c)(1), which requires us to vacate and remand where the court purported to sentence within the guidelines but applied the guidelines erroneously.
Recognizing that we reached the reasonableness claim argued in Septak, we find that case to be distinguishable from the instant matter. In Septak the sentencing court indicated that the probationary sentence deviated from the guidelines he thought applicable. Since the court detailed its reasons for the deviation, we could determine that the sentence of probation was unreasonable. See, Commonwealth v. Drumgoole, supra 341 Pa.Superior Ct. at 474-77, 491 A.2d at 1355-1356. We cannot present the same kind of analysis and determination herein, as the court did not place reasons for deviation in light of its finding that the sentence was within the minimum range of the guidelines.
We do not, therefore, make a determination on the question of unreasonableness, but vacate and remand pursuant to 42 Pa.C.S. § 9781(c)(1) in view of our disposition of the Commonwealth's first claim. The court must then, of course, resentence appellee, knowing the correct sentencing ranges available under the guidelines. If the court finds it appropriate to deviate from the proper sentencing range, it may do so by placing sufficient reasons on the record, subject to review by this court if such review is sought. Commonwealth v. Johnakin, 348 Pa.Super. 432, 437-39, 502 A.2d 620, 623 (1985).
Judgment of sentence is vacated and the case is remanded for resentencing in accordance with the foregoing analysis. Jurisdiction is relinquished.
CAVANAUGH, J., files a concurring opinion.
. 204 Pa.Code § 303.4, reprinted following 42 Pa.C.S. § 9721.
. 18 Pa.C.S. § 2902.
. 18 Pa.C.S. § 903.
. Notably, the offense of conspiracy, which was tied to the underlying offense of unlawful restraint, was a misdemeanor of the first degree under the circumstances herein. See, 18 Pa.C.S. § 905(a). Although the sentence imposed was within the standard minimum range of the sentencing guidelines for a first degree misdemeanor with a prior record score of zero, there is some confusion as to whether the court's intention was to impose sentence for a felony of the second degree. Upon remand, the court is to utilize the correct offense gravity score in imposing sentence.