Court Opinion

ID: 9893301
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-10-26 16:11:50.846782+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T09:01:56.913786
License: Public Domain

[Cite as State v. Allmon, 2023-Ohio-3880.]

                               COURT OF APPEALS OF OHIO

                             EIGHTH APPELLATE DISTRICT
                                COUNTY OF CUYAHOGA

STATE OF OHIO,                                     :

                 Plaintiff-Appellee,               :         No. 112512

                 v.                                :

MALCOLM ALLMON,                                    :

                 Defendant-Appellant.              :

                                JOURNAL ENTRY AND OPINION

                 JUDGMENT: AFFIRMED
                 RELEASED AND JOURNALIZED: October 26, 2023

         Criminal Appeal from the Cuyahoga County Court of Common Pleas
          Case Nos. CR-20-649767-B, CR-21-658278-B, CR-22-668696-A,
                               and CR-22-671798-A

                                             Appearances:

                 Michael C. O’Malley, Cuyahoga County Prosecuting
                 Attorney, and Mary Grace Tokmenko, Assistant
                 Prosecuting Attorney, for appellee.

                 Cullen Sweeney, Cuyahoga County Public Defender, and
                 Aaron T. Baker, Assistant Public Defender, for appellant.

MARY EILEEN KILBANE, P.J.:

                   Defendant-appellant Malcolm Allmon (“Allmon”) appeals his

sentences after he pled guilty to multiple offenses in four different cases. He

contends that his indefinite sentences, imposed under the Reagan Tokes Law,
violate his constitutional right to a trial by jury, the separation-of-powers doctrine,

and due process. We affirm.1

                Under the Reagan Tokes Law, qualifying first- and second-degree

felonies committed on or after March 22, 2019, are subject to the imposition of

indefinite sentences. R.C. 2929.14(A), 2929.144. In the four cases, the trial court

sentenced Allmon to an aggregate prison term of 9 to 10.5 years, as follows.

                In case number CR-20-649767-B, Allmon pled guilty to one count of

aggravated burglary in violation of R.C. 2911.11(A)(2), a Reagan Tokes qualifying

first-degree felony; one count of aggravated burglary in violation of R.C.

2911.11(A)(1), a Reagan Tokes qualifying first-degree felony; and one count of

aggravated robbery in violation of R.C. 2911.01(A)(1), a Reagan Tokes qualifying

first-degree felony. The trial court set forth a three-year prison term on each count,

then, pursuant to the Reagan Tokes Law, sentenced Allmon to “a minimum prison

term of 3 year(s) and a maximum prison term of 4.5 year(s) on the underlying

offense(s).” The court indicated that the sentences would run concurrent to each

other.

         1 In appeal No. 112357, the state appealed Allmon’s sentence in CR-20-649767

only, contending that the manner in which the trial court journalized Allmon’s indefinite
sentence was not in accordance with R.C. 2929.14 and 2929.144. We held that because
the sentencing journal entry imposed an indefinite prison sentence on all counts
collectively, rather than imposing a minimum and maximum prison term on each count
individually as required by R.C. 2929.14(A)(1)(a) and (A)(2)(a), Allmon’s sentence was
contrary to law. We affirmed but remanded the case to the trial court for the issuance of
a nunc pro tunc judgment entry setting forth the minimum and maximum prison terms
on each of the counts of which Allmon was convicted in that case. Our decision here does
not affect that ruling.
               In case number CR-21-658278-B, Allmon pled guilty to three counts

of aggravated burglary in violation of R.C. 2911.11(A)(2), a Reagan Tokes qualifying

first-degree felony (one of which included a three-year firearm specification); one

count of tampering with evidence in violation of R.C. 2921.12(A)(1), a third-degree

felony; one count of having weapons while under disability in violation of R.C.

2923.13(A)(1), a third-degree felony; one count of having weapons while under

disability in violation of R.C. 2923.13(A)(2), a third-degree felony; two counts of

receiving stolen property in violation of R.C. 2913.51(A), a fourth-degree felony; and

one count of receiving stolen property - motor vehicle in violation of R.C. 2913.51(A),

a fourth-degree felony. The trial court sentenced Allmon to three years on the

firearm specification to be served prior to and consecutive to the sentences on the

underlying offenses. On the first-degree felonies, the trial court set forth a three-

year prison term on each of the underlying offenses, then, pursuant to the Reagan

Tokes Law, sentenced Allmon to “a minimum prison term of 3 year(s) and a

maximum prison term of 4.5 year(s) on the underlying offense(s).” The trial court

imposed 36-month sentences on each of the third-degree felonies and 18-month

sentences on each of the fourth-degree felonies. The trial court indicated that the

sentences on the underlying offenses would run concurrent to each other.

               In case number CR-22-668696-A, Allmon pled guilty to one count of

felonious assault in violation of R.C. 2903.11(A)(2), a Reagan Tokes qualifying

second-degree felony, with a three-year firearm specification; one count of having

weapons while under disability in violation of R.C. 2923.13(A)(2), a third-degree
felony; and two counts of criminal damaging in violation of R.C. 2909.06(A)(1), a

first-degree misdemeanor. The trial court sentenced Allmon to three years on the

firearm specification, to be served prior to and consecutive to the sentences on the

underlying offenses. On the felonious assault count, the trial court set forth a

“minimum” three-year prison term, then, pursuant to the Reagan Tokes Law,

sentenced Allmon to “a minimum prison term of 3 year(s) and a maximum prison

term of 4.5 year(s) on the underlying offense(s).” The trial court imposed a 36-

month sentence on the having weapons while under disability count and a 180-day

sentence on each of the criminal damaging counts. The trial court indicated that the

sentences on the underlying offenses would run concurrent to each other.

               In case number CR-22-671798-A, Allmon pled guilty to one count of

felonious assault in violation of R.C. 2903.11(A)(2), a Reagan Tokes qualifying

second-degree felony; one count of discharge of a firearm on or near prohibited

premises, in violation of R.C. 2923.162(A)(3), a third-degree felony; one count of

having weapons while under disability in violation of R.C. 2923.13(A)(2), a third-

degree felony; one count of domestic violence in violation of R.C. 2919.25(A), a first-

degree misdemeanor; and one count of endangering children in violation of R.C.

2919.22(A), a first-degree misdemeanor. On the felonious assault count, the trial

court set forth a three-year prison term, then, pursuant to the Reagan Tokes Law,

sentenced Allmon to “a minimum prison term of sentence of 3 year(s) and a

maximum prison term of 4.5 year(s) on the underlying offense(s).” The trial court

imposed a 36-month sentence on each of the third-degree felonies and a 180-day
sentence on each of the first-degree misdemeanors. The trial court indicated that

the sentences would run concurrent to each other.

                The trial court indicated that the sentences on the three-year firearm

specifications in CR-21-658278-B and CR-22-668696-A would be served prior to

and consecutive to the sentences on the underlying offenses in all four cases and that

the sentences on the underlying offenses in all four cases would be served

concurrently to one another — resulting in a total, aggregate prison term of 9 to 10.5

years.

                Defense counsel objected to the trial court’s imposition of indefinite

sentences, arguing that the indefinite sentencing provisions of the Reagan Tokes

Law were unconstitutional.

                We granted Allmon leave to file a delayed appeal. He raises the

following assignment of error for review:

         The trial court erred when it found S.B. 201 to be constitutional and
         imposed an indefinite sentence pursuant to S.B. 201.

Law and Analysis

                Allmon contends that the trial court erred in sentencing him to

indefinite sentences under the Reagan Tokes Law. Allmon contends that the Reagan

Tokes Law violates his constitutional right to a trial by jury, the separation-of-

powers doctrine, and due process.

                The arguments presented in this case do not present novel issues or

any new theory challenging the constitutional validity of any aspect of the Reagan
Tokes Law left unaddressed by the Ohio Supreme Court’s decision in State v.

Hacker, Slip Opinion No. 2023-Ohio-2535. Accordingly, pursuant to Hacker, we

overrule Allmon’s assignment of error.

              Judgment affirmed.

      It is ordered that appellee recover from appellant the costs herein taxed.

      The court finds there were reasonable grounds for this appeal.

      It is ordered that a special mandate issue out of this court directing the

Cuyahoga County Court of Common Pleas to carry this judgment into execution.

The defendant’s convictions having been affirmed, any bail pending appeal is

terminated.

      A certified copy of this entry shall constitute the mandate pursuant to Rule 27

of the Rules of Appellate Procedure.

MARY EILEEN KILBANE, PRESIDING JUDGE

EILEEN T. GALLAGHER, J., and
MARY J. BOYLE, J., CONCUR