Opinion ID: 536447
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Factual Basis of the Plea

Text: 18 Appellant claims that his guilty plea was not obtained in a lawful manner because it lacked the requisite factual basis. Badea argues that his plea had no factual basis because his plea hearing was concluded with Badea pleading guilty, but without admission to any facts to support of the plea. The Facts to support a plea of guilty that were included with the plea agreement covered the government's complete case. They included facts to support the indictment as a whole not just the count Badea pled. Thus even if, as Badea asserts, the other allegations in the government's case were incorrect, a factual basis to support the plea still existed if it was true that appellant possessed the equipment with the requisite intent. In the Change of Plea proceedings appellant admitted both elements. (Change of plea, record vol. 4, exhibit B at 19). 19 However, even if appellant had not provided the factual basis himself, his assertions of innocence would not invalidate the plea. North Carolina v. Alford, 400 U.S. 25, 37 (1970). The affidavits in the record accompanied by the results of the search of Badea's property provide enough of a factual basis to support the plea even if Badea had not admitted the elements of the pleaded crime. 6