Title: Mason v. State
Citation: N/A
Docket Number: 539, 2005
State: Delaware
Issuer: Delaware Supreme Court
Date: May 23, 2006

IN THE SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF DELAWARE 
 
ROSS R. MASON, 
 
Defendant Below- 
Appellant, 
 
v. 
 
STATE OF DELAWARE, 
 
Plaintiff Below- 
Appellee. 
§ 
§  No. 539, 2005 
§ 
§ 
§  Court Below─Superior Court 
§  of the State of Delaware 
§  in and for New Castle County 
§  Cr. ID No. 0311010381 
§ 
§ 
§ 
 
 
 
 
 
Submitted: February 24, 2006 
 
 
 
 
   Decided: May 23, 2006 
 
Before STEELE, Chief Justice, JACOBS and RIDGELY, Justices 
 
 
 
 
 
 
O R D E R  
 
 
This 23rd day of May 2006, upon consideration of the briefs on appeal 
and the record below, it appears to the Court that: 
 
(1) 
The defendant-appellant, Ross R. Mason, filed an appeal from 
the Superior Court’s October 5, 2005 modified sentencing order.  Because 
the sentencing order requires clarification, we remand this matter to the 
Superior Court for further proceedings consistent with this Order. 
 
(2) 
In February 2004, Mason pleaded guilty to Burglary in the 
Second Degree and Distribution of a Controlled Substance Within 300 Feet 
of a Park.  In connection with the guilty plea, the State dismissed five 
additional criminal charges against Mason.  Mason was sentenced on the 
 
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burglary conviction to 6 years of Level V incarceration, to be suspended 
after 30 months for 3 years and 6 months at Level IV home confinement or 
work release, to be suspended in turn after 6 months for 2 years at 
decreasing levels of probation.  He was sentenced on the distribution 
conviction to 2 years of Level V incarceration, to be suspended for 18 
months at Level III probation.   
 
(3) 
In August 2005, the Treatment Access Services Center 
(“TASC”) became involved in Mason’s case and initiated a review of his 
sentences.  After a hearing, the Superior Court modified Mason’s burglary 
sentence to incorporate the Crest program into the Level IV portion of the 
sentence.  The modified sentencing order imposes 6 years at Level V, to be 
suspended after 30 months for 4 years and 6 months at Level IV Crest, in 
turn to be suspended after successful completion of Crest for Level IV work 
release, in turn to be suspended after 6 months, to be followed by decreasing 
levels of supervision.  Thus, under the modified order, Mason must complete 
Crest and serve 6 months at Level IV prior to flowing down to Level III 
probation.  It is from this modified sentence that the instant appeal was 
taken.   
 
(4) 
In this appeal, Mason claims that, by modifying his burglary 
sentence to include the Crest program, the Superior Court improperly 
 
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enhanced his sentence by one year.  The State concedes that the Superior 
Court’s modified order is ambiguous and, therefore, should be remanded to 
the Superior Court for clarification.  Specifically, the State notes that it is not 
clear whether the Superior Court meant to substitute Crest for home 
confinement, as suggested by the notes on the modified order, or meant to 
add Crest to the Level IV portion of the sentence.  The State also notes that it 
is not clear whether the Superior Court actually intended to increase 
Mason’s total Level IV time from 3 years and 6 months to 4 years and 6 
months.   
 
(5) 
Upon a review of the sentencing orders at issue, we agree with 
the State that clarification of the Superior Court’s intent is required in this 
case.  The matter will, therefore, be remanded to the Superior Court for such 
clarification. 
 
NOW, THEREFORE, IT IS ORDERED that this matter is 
REMANDED to the Superior Court for clarification of its modified 
sentencing order in accordance with this Order.  Jurisdiction is not retained. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
BY THE COURT: 
 
 
 
 
 
 
/s/Henry duPont Ridgely 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Justice