Opinion ID: 2640143
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 8

Heading: constitutionality of the ksga

Text: Gallegos claims that the sentence for his conviction of criminal possession of a firearm is unconstitutional in light of the United States Supreme Court's recent decision in Cunningham v. California, 549 U.S. 270, 127 S.Ct. 856, 166 L.Ed.2d 856 (2007), because the court imposed the upper limit in the presumptive sentencing grid box based on aggravating factors that were not submitted to the jury. Gallegos was convicted of criminal possession of a firearm under K.S.A. 21-4204(a)(3), which is a severity level 8 nonperson felony. K.S.A. 21-4204(d). Because the firearm offense was not Gallegos' primary conviction, the court determined that he had a criminal history score of I for that particular offense. Thus, under the KSGA, Gallegos' firearm conviction carried a presumptive sentence of 7 to 9 months. K.S.A. 21-4704(a) (grid). The court sentenced the defendant to the upper limit in the sentencing grid box, imposing a 9-month prison sentence to be served consecutive to his hard 25 sentence for the murder conviction. The court explained that the reason for the upper-limit sentence was that if Gallegos had not violated the firearm statute, perhaps [the court] would not be here today to sentence him on the murder conviction. Gallegos argues that under Cunningham, the maximum sentence that the statute authorizes for his conviction is actually the standard (middle) number in the sentencing grid box and any factors that would increase a defendant's sentence beyond that standard number must be submitted to a jury and determined beyond a reasonable doubt. Under this reasoning, Gallegos claims K.S.A. 21-4704(e)(1), which permitted the court to impose the upper limit in the sentencing grid box, is facially unconstitutional under Cunningham because it allows a court to impose a penalty beyond the statutory maximum. In State v. Johnson, ___ Kan. ___, 190 P.3d 207, (No. 96,681, this day decided) the defendant raised this exact argument relating to Cunningham and K.S.A. 21-4704(e)(1) that is put forth by Gallegos in this case. We held in Johnson that because the KSGA provides district courts with discretion to impose any sentence within the presumptive range, the prescribed statutory maximum sentence under Cunningham is the high number in the applicable sentencing grid box. Thus, K.S.A. 21-4704(e)(1) does not violate a defendant's constitutional right to a jury trial under the Sixth and Fourteenth Amendments to the United States Constitution. For the reasons set forth in Johnson, we hold that Gallegos' claim regarding the constitutionality of the KSGA is similarly without merit.