Opinion ID: 2160870
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Violation of Iowa Code Section 903.4.

Text: Kapell also claims that his sentence for driving while license suspended is illegal because it violates sections 901.8 and 903.4. Section 901.8 states that consecutive sentences must be construed as one continuous term of imprisonment. Section 903.4 provides in part: All persons sentenced to confinement for a period of one year or less shall be confined in a place to be furnished by the county where the conviction was had unless the person is presently committed to the custody of the director of the Iowa department of corrections, in which case the provisions of section 901.8 apply. All persons sentenced to confinement for a period of more than one year shall be committed to the custody of the director of the Iowa department of corrections to be confined in a place to be designated by the director and the cost of confinement shall be borne by the state. (Emphasis added.) As noted above the court sentenced Kapell to the Department of Corrections for two years on the OWI conviction. The order directed that Kapell be held in the county jail until bed space became available in a community-based facility. The court also sentenced Kapell to five days confinement in a facility furnished by the sheriff for his conviction of operating while license revoked. Both parties agree that the court intended the sentences to be served consecutively. Kapell correctly argues that the sentences constitute one continuous term of imprisonment under section 901.8. Therefore, in determining the propriety of the court's order, we treat the sentences on both charges as one. Because section 903.4 provides that a sentence of confinement for more than one year must be served in a place designated by the director of the Department of Corrections, Kapell contends that the court imposed an illegal sentence by ordering him to serve five days of his continuous term in the county jail. We agree. Section 903.4 clearly requires that any person sentenced to confinement for a period of more than one year shall be committed to the custody of the Department of Corrections. Therefore, we do not believe the district court had authority to order Kapell to serve a jail sentence for driving while license suspended. We note, however, that section 246.513(1)(c) does give the district court the power to order Kapell to be held in jail until there is space available in a community-based correctional program. See 1991 Iowa Acts ch. 219, § 9 (amending Iowa Code § 246.513 (1991)).