Court Opinion

ID: 9779666
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-30 00:31:57.795005+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T07:33:37.512094
License: Public Domain

RILEY, Judge,
dissenting with separate opinion.
Although I agree with the majority that the trial court's sentencing statement is inadequate, I part ways with the majority's conclusion that this error is harmless. Specifically, I find this incorrect sentencing statement an abuse of discretion for which I would remand as the imposed sentence is inappropriate in light of the nature of the crime and Eiler's character. See Mendoza v. State, 869 N.E.2d 546, 556 (Ind.Ct.App.2007), trans. denied. Eiler is a sixty-year-old man, who is the primary provider for his family, has held a permanent position for the last twenty-five years, and has no eriminal history. He testified that he began using cocaine six months before his arrest, and used only in his barn, not around other people. Although Eiler admitted to have sold cocaine on three occasions, the individuals he dealt with were the same ones he bought cocaine from. There is no evidence that Eller intended to distribute large masses of cocaine, rather the cocaine he purchased was mostly for his own consumption. Based on these circumstances, I conclude that the trial court's sentence of twenty-two years with four years suspended to probation is too severe and would remand this case for resentencing.