Opinion ID: 1301554
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Consecutive Sentences for Possession of Each of the 50 Photographs

Text: Taylor was charged with 50 counts of sexual exploitation of children as a result of possession of 50 photographs of children engaged in sexual conduct. Each offense allegedly occurred in February 1987 when the various photographs were discovered in the trailer. The trial court imposed consecutive sentences as to each of these counts. Taylor argues that either the 50 sentences must run concurrently or, alternatively, the 50 counts must merge into a single count. In support of this proposition, Taylor primarily relies upon Bell v. United States, 349 U.S. 81, 75 S.Ct. 620, 99 L.Ed. 905 (1955). In Bell, in a 6-3 decision, the Supreme Court held that consecutive sentences could not be imposed for violation of the Mann Act, 18 U.S.C. § 2421 et seq., in a case in which the defendant simultaneously transported two women in the same vehicle for immoral purposes. In so ruling, the majority stated: ... [I]f Congress does not fix the punishment for a federal offense clearly and without ambiguity, doubt will be resolved against turning a single transaction into multiple offenses, when we have no more to go on than the present case furnishes. 349 U.S. at 84, 75 S.Ct. at 622, 99 L.Ed. at 910-11. The dissent pointed out that [s]urely it did not intend to make it easier if one transported females by the bus load. 349 U.S. at 84, 75 S.Ct. at 623, 99 L.Ed. at 911. In United States v. Meyer, 602 F. Supp. 1480 (S.D.Cal. 1985), the district court applied Bell to the prosecution of an individual charged with 13 counts of transportation of material involving the sexual exploitation of children in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2252(a)(1) and 13 counts of importation of obscene merchandise in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 545. The district court stated: The court finds that Congress has not provided clearly, and without ambiguity, for multiple counts in prosecution under both 18 U.S.C. § 2252(a)(1) and 18 U.S.C. § 545. 602 F. Supp. at 1482. After concluding that the violations occurred simultaneously and that lack of congressional intent to provide for the prosecution of multiple counts existed, the trial court directed the government to elect which one of the 13 transportation counts and which one of the 13 importation counts would be prosecuted, with all other counts to be dismissed. This so-called rule of lenity invoked in Bell and Meyer is a federal rule of statutory construction to be applied when congressional intent is ambiguous. Callanan v. United States, 364 U.S. 587, 596, 81 S.Ct. 321, 326-27, 5 L.Ed.2d 312, 318-19 (1961). Even under this rule, where the federal statutory construction is unambiguous, the rule of lenity is inapplicable. Gore v. United States, 357 U.S. 386, 391, 78 S.Ct. 1280, 1284, 2 L.Ed.2d 1405, 1409 (1958). The precise issue raised by Taylor has not been decided in this state. In State v. Lindsey, 149 Ariz. 472, 720 P.2d 73 (1986), this court affirmed a defendant's convictions for six counts of sexual exploitation based upon the simultaneous possession of six photographs. Concurrent sentences were imposed on each of the six counts, and the issue of multiple convictions arising from the possession of multiple photographs was not raised on appeal. In State v. Smith, 156 Ariz. 518, 753 P.2d 1174 (App. 1987), a defendant who had molested a ten-year-old child and taken 60 photographs of the child was convicted of two counts of child molestation, two counts of sexual conduct with a minor, and one count of sexual exploitation of a minor. There, the prosecutor elected to charge the possession of the 60 photographs as a single count. The federal rule of lenity announced in Bell and applied to child pornography in Meyer does not require that the 50 counts of possession of photographs by Taylor be consolidated as one or that all 50 sentences run concurrently. Taylor concedes in his opening brief: Appellant does not deny that the Arizona courts have agreed with the legislature that defendants who commit sexual crimes against children should be severely sentenced. The virtually all-inclusive sexual exploitation statutes adopted by the state legislature clearly convey a statutory intent that the consumer of child pornography be dealt with severely. In the matter before us, evidence was presented that Taylor himself took each of the 50 photographs for which he was charged with possession. The legislature has provided for separate punishment for sexual exploitation of a minor by photographing the minor, A.R.S. § 13-3553(A)(1), and sexual exploitation of a minor by possessing a photograph of the minor. A.R.S. § 13-3553(A)(2). Taylor was charged separately with possessing each of 50 photographs in February 1987. Inasmuch as he himself took each of the photographs, he neither acquired nor possessed them simultaneously, but, rather, one at a time. United States v. Esch, 832 F.2d 531, 541-42 (10th Cir.1987), cert. denied, ___ U.S. ___, ___, 108 S.Ct. 1084, 1299, 99 L.Ed.2d 242, 509 (1988). Our conclusion might be different if Taylor had acquired all of the photographs at the same time in one book from someone else. We limit our holding regarding these counts to the situation in which an individual has photographed minors engaged in sexual conduct and thereby come into possession of photographs falling within the category of sexual exploitation of a minor. The federal rule of lenity is inapplicable to Taylor, and the 50 consecutive sentences for sexual exploitation of a minor by possession of the photographs are affirmed.