Opinion ID: 6322214
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: facts

Text: Following a stipulated bench trial, Tanya L. Hofmann was convicted of attempted false information on a gun permit application, in violation of Neb. Rev. Stat. §§ 28-201(4)(e) (Cum. Supp. 2020) and 69-2408 (Reissue 2018). Hofmann was fined $400 and assessed costs of $137. Hofmann now appeals this conviction. We granted the State’s petition to bypass the Nebraska Court of Appeals. Hofmann’s conviction stems from when she applied for a firearm purchase permit. Hofmann went to the Scotts Bluff County sheriff’s office on January 8, 2020, to apply for a permit to purchase, lease, rent, or receive transfer of a firearm. After providing her biographical information (name, address, date of birth, Social Security number, height, weight, country of citizenship, et cetera) on the application, she answered a series of additional questions. The first question asked, “Are you under indictment or information in any court for a felony, or any other crime for which the judge could imprison you for more than one year? (An information is a formal accusation of a crime by a prosecutor. An indictment is from a grand jury.)” Hofmann circled “NO” on this question. Hofmann then presented her driver’s license and prior firearm purchase certificate to the sheriff’s office employee collecting her application material and paid the $5 fee for the background check. For the purposes of the bench trial, the parties stipulated (1) that all events occurred in Scotts Bluff County, Nebraska; (2) that “Tanya Hofmann” in the present case is the same “Tanya Hofmann” who applied for a firearm permit on January 8, 2020, at the Scotts Bluff County sheriff’s office and the same “Tanya Hofmann” who was charged in Clay County, Nebraska, in case No. CR 19-184; and (3) that “any intent necessary for an element pursuant to Neb. Rev. Stat. §28-201 is present.” In a deposition received as part of the stipulated trial, the sheriff’s office employee who collected the application testified that Hofmann never asked her for assistance in reading the application or answering the questions. When people - 612 - Nebraska Supreme Court Advance Sheets 310 Nebraska Reports STATE v. HOFMANN Cite as 310 Neb. 609 ask questions regarding convictions of felonies, she generally would find out what their charge was and then ask the chief deputy or sheriff whether the charge was a felony or misdemeanor. The deposition of a records clerk at the sheriff’s office was also received as part of the stipulated trial. She testified that she received a call from Hofmann on the morning of January 9, 2020. Hofmann informed her she had filled out a firearm application the day before, but had been “up all night” concerned about her answer to the first question. The records clerk testified that Hofmann stated she did not have her glasses and could not see the question very well, but was concerned that she had answered the question incorrectly. Hofmann asked whether she could change her answer or otherwise withdraw her application. The records clerk told Hofmann that the application had already “gone downstairs,” meaning a background check had already been done, but that she would let the chief deputy know and he could decide. The chief deputy, having received all of the application materials and aware of the records clerk’s conversation with Hofmann, determined that Hofmann could not change or withdraw her application. In accordance with its standard procedures, the sheriff’s office used Hofmann’s name and date of birth to run a background check. The background check revealed that in October 2019, Hofmann was charged by complaint in the county court for Clay County for possession of a controlled substance, a Class IV felony, among other misdemeanor and infraction offenses. The felony charge in the complaint in Clay County for possession of a controlled substance was bound over to district court on February 4, 2020, and the other charges were dismissed. An information was filed in district court on February 7, approximately 1 month after Hofmann filed her application. Based on the initial background check, which showed a felony charge against Hofmann, the chief deputy denied Hofmann’s application. He testified by deposition, entered - 613 - Nebraska Supreme Court Advance Sheets 310 Nebraska Reports STATE v. HOFMANN Cite as 310 Neb. 609 into evidence as part of the stipulated trial, that the denial of the application was not based on Hofmann’s response to the question in the application about whether she was under indictment or information in any court for a felony. Rather, he explained that a formal charge by a prosecutor of a crime that could cause someone to be in jail for a year or more is one of the prohibitions under 18 U.S.C. § 922 (2018) that prohibits someone from obtaining a firearm. The chief deputy drafted a denial letter that was sent to Hofmann citing the reason for the denial. He notified Hofmann in this letter that she had circled “NO” on the first question, which indicated she was not “under indictment or formal accusation of a crime by a prosecutor,” but that his research revealed she was charged on October 14, 2019, with the felony offense of possession of a controlled substance in Clay County. His letter stated that “according to 18 USC 44 922(g)(1) this disqualifies you from being issued the Firearms Purchase Permit.” Exhibits entered into evidence for purposes of the bench trial show that the charges against Hofmann were, at the time she filled out the application, brought in county court through a “complaint.” Approximately a month after her application, Hofmann’s charges were moved to district court under an “information.” In rendering its verdict, the district court observed that the parties stipulated to the requisite intent of Hofmann for each element necessary under § 28-201 for this crime. Thus, the court continued, “[t]he sole question in this case is whether . . . Hofmann willfully provided false information on the application,” and resolving that question involved a discussion of whether Hofmann was “‘under an information.’” The court found, “There is no doubt that . . . Hofmann knew she was charged with a Class IV felony in Clay County” when she filled out her application and that these charges were included in the application’s definition of an “information” as “‘a formal accusation of a crime by a prosecutor.’” The court therefore found Hofmann willfully provided false information - 614 - Nebraska Supreme Court Advance Sheets 310 Nebraska Reports STATE v. HOFMANN Cite as 310 Neb. 609 on the application. Further, the district court concluded that “Hofmann’s conduct constituted a substantial step in a course of conduct intended to culminate in her commission of the crime by filling out the application, signing her name to the application, paying the fee and leaving the application with [a sheriff’s office employee].” ASSIGNMENTS OF ERROR Hofmann assigns that the evidence was insufficient to find her guilty, because the district court erred in (1) finding that the statute allowed the State to pursue a charge for any statement provided other than the express statutory language of name, address, date of birth, and country of citizenship and (2) determining that a county court complaint was an indictment or information and that she provided false information.