Opinion ID: 2195206
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 11

Heading: Excessive Sentence in Procuring Alcohol Conviction.

Text: Finally, Sanders asserts that his sentence for procuring alcohol for a minor is excessive. We conclude that the district court did not abuse its discretion in sentencing Sanders on this count. Sanders was sentenced to 5 years' probation on the first degree sexual assault conviction and to 90 days in jail and a $500 fine on the conviction for procuring alcohol for a minor. Sanders argues that the sentence in the alcohol conviction was excessive because he should not have been given imprisonment on that conviction when he was given probation on the sexual assault conviction. He argues that if grounds existed to make probation appropriate for the sexual assault conviction, the same grounds should have required probation rather than imprisonment on the alcohol conviction. Procuring alcohol for a minor in violation of § 53-180 is a Class I misdemeanor. Neb. Rev. Stat. § 53-180.05(1) (Reissue 2004). The maximum penalty for a Class I misdemeanor is not more than one year imprisonment, or one thousand dollars fine, or both. Neb. Rev. Stat. § 28-106(1) (Cum. Supp. 2000). Therefore, Sanders' sentence of 90 days in jail and a $500 fine is within statutory limits, and his sentence will not be disturbed on appeal absent an abuse of discretion by the district court. See State v. Banes, 268 Neb. 805, 688 N.W.2d 594 (2004). As the State notes and the record supports, this was Sanders' second conviction for procuring alcohol for a minor. Sanders was also previously convicted of selling alcohol without a license and of violating a permit for a public dance. Whereas Sanders had a prior history of alcohol offenses, he lacked a prior history of violent crimes. Considering that Sanders had previous convictions related to alcohol offenses, we do not find the sentence on this count excessive. Contrary to Sanders' argument, it was not an abuse of discretion to sentence Sanders to imprisonment on the alcohol conviction while sentencing him to probation on the assault conviction because different factors came to bear in the sentencing considerations for each offense. We find no abuse of discretion in Sanders' sentence on the procuring alcohol for a minor offense.