Opinion ID: 1275140
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Multiple Victims and Planning

Text: Branch argues the sentencing court erred as a matter of law in finding the multiple victims and highly sophisticated planning factors were met in this case. These issues present questions of law and are reviewed de novo. See Garza, 123 Wash.2d at 889, 872 P.2d 1087. Multiple Victims The SRA defines a victim as any person who has sustained emotional, psychological, physical, or financial injury to person or property as a direct result of the crime charged. RCW 9.94A.030(37). The sentencing court found that the 180 limited partners who lost the money they invested in the Partnership were all victims. Case law addressing the SRA's definition of victim supports this finding. State v. Davison, 116 Wash.2d 917, 920-21, 809 P.2d 1374 (1991) (employer (City of Seattle) of an assault victim was additional victim of offense for purpose of awarding restitution); State v. Davis, 53 Wash.App. 306, 310, 766 P.2d 1120 (a victim under the SRA is one whose injuries were proximately caused by conduct forming the basis of the crime charged), review denied 112 Wash.2d 1015 (1989). In this case, the limited partners' monetary losses were proximately caused by Branch's criminal conduct. As a matter of law, the sentencing court did not err in finding the 180 limited partners constitute multiple victims. Branch also argues his state and federal constitutional rights to equal protection and due process are violated by this interpretation and application of the multiple victim factor. Specifically, he argues the SRA's definition of victim (RCW 9.94A.030(37)), as applied through RCW 9.94A.390(2)(c)(i) to crimes against business organizations, is overbroad and vague in violation of his substantive due process rights. He also argues the classification of crimes against multiple victims violates the equal protection clause. Branch's overbreadth argument is not well taken. Statutes are presumed valid and the burden rests on the challenger to show otherwise. Louthan v. King County, 94 Wash.2d 422, 428, 617 P.2d 977 (1980). Overbreadth arguments apply only where there is a question of whether the statute infringes on constitutionally protected activity. State v. Parker, 97 Wash.2d 737, 740, 649 P.2d 637 (1982). Branch has failed to demonstrate that these provisions of the SRA infringe on any constitutionally protected activities; therefore, Branch has failed to meet his burden. The vagueness argument is also unpersuasive. The test for vagueness of provisions in the SRA is whether a person of reasonable understanding is required to guess at the meaning of the statute. In re Myers, 105 Wash.2d 257, 267, 714 P.2d 303 (1986). RCW 9.94A.030(37) and RCW 9.94A.390(2)(c)(i) are not unconstitutionally vague as applied to the facts of this case. A person of reasonable understanding can comprehend the definition of victim and understand that an economic crime committed against multiple victims may be subject to an exceptional sentence. Branch also challenges RCW 9.94A.390(2)(c)(i) on equal protection grounds, arguing his right to equal protection under the laws is violated by the SRA's imposition of harsher sanctions on criminals convicted of committing crimes against multiple victims. Because the classification of criminals convicted of crimes against multiple victims is not based on a suspect class and does not affect a fundamental right, the rationale relationship test applies. State v. Ward, 123 Wash.2d 488, 516, 869 P.2d 1062 (1994) (liberty interests alone are not sufficient to subject statute to strict scrutiny). Therefore, Branch's argument fails because the classification of imposing harsher sentences for defendants convicted of crimes against multiple victims is rationally related to the legitimate objective of the SRA to [e]nsure that the punishment for a criminal offense is proportionate to the seriousness of the offense.... RCW 9.94A.010(1). Planning The sentencing court concluded Branch's theft involved considerable planning. Branch argues considerable planning does not rise to the level of the high degree of... planning required in RCW 9.94A.390(2)(c)(iii). This issue is irrelevant. RCW 9.94A.390(2)(c)(iii) states in full: The current offense involved a high degree of sophistication or planning or occurred over a lengthy period of time. (Emphasis added). As discussed above, the sentencing court correctly found this offense occurred over a lengthy period of time; therefore, the lengthy period of time prong serves to establish this factor whether or not considerable planning equates to a high degree of planning.