Court Opinion

ID: 9381808
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-03-23 20:07:34.228439+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T17:17:34.629259
License: Public Domain

[Cite as State v. Smart, 2023-Ohio-955.]

                                        COURT OF APPEALS
                                   TUSCARAWAS COUNTY, OHIO
                                    FIFTH APPELLATE DISTRICT

 STATE OF OHIO                                  JUDGES:
                                                Hon. W. Scott Gwin, P.J.
         Plaintiff-Appellee                     Hon. William B. Hoffman, J.
                                                Hon. Craig R. Baldwin, J.
 -vs-
                                                Case No. 2022 AP 06 0018
 TED SMART

          Defendant-Appellant                   OPINION

 CHARACTER OF PROCEEDINGS:                      Appeal from the Tuscarawas County Court
                                                of Common Pleas, Case No. 2021 CR 10
                                                0316

 JUDGMENT:                                      Affirmed

 DATE OF JUDGMENT ENTRY:                        March 23, 2023

 APPEARANCES:

 For Plaintiff-Appellee                         For Defendant-Appellant

 RYAN STYER                                     DAN GUINN
 Tuscarawas County Prosecutor                   232 West 3rd Street – Suite #312
                                                Dover, Ohio 44622
 KRISTINE W. BEARD
 Assistant Prosecuting Attorney
 Tuscarawas County Prosecutors Office
 125 E. High Avenue
 New Philadelphia, Ohio 44663
Tuscarawas County, Case No. 2022 AP 06 0018                                                                   2

Hoffman, J.
        {¶1}     Defendant-appellant Ted Smart appeals the judgment entered by the

Tuscarawas County Common Pleas Court convicting him following his pleas of no contest

to two counts of gross sexual imposition (R.C. 2907.05(A)(1)) and sentencing him to

twelve months incarceration on each count, to be served consecutively. Plaintiff-appellee

is the state of Ohio.

                                         STATEMENT OF THE CASE1

        {¶2}     On October 29, 2021, Appellant was indicted by the Tuscarawas County

Grand Jury on two counts of rape, one count of gross sexual imposition as a felony of the

third degree, and one count of gross sexual imposition as a felony of the fourth degree.

        {¶3}     The State dismissed the charges of rape and amended the count of gross

sexual imposition as a felony of the third degree to a charge of gross sexual imposition

as a felony of the fourth degree. Appellant entered a plea of no contest to the amended

charge and the original charge of gross sexual imposition as fourth degree felony. The

victim on one count was the son of Appellant’s girlfriend (hereinafter “B.E.”). The victim

on the second count was Appellant’s stepdaughter (hereinafter “C.P.). The trial court

found Appellant guilty upon his pleas.

        {¶4}     The case proceeded to a sentencing hearing. At the hearing, Appellant

requested a sentence of community control sanctions, while the State took no position on

sentencing. Appellant’s mother spoke on his behalf in mitigation, telling the court she

needed Appellant’s help at home because of her health, and he would not do what he

1A full rendition of the facts is not a part of the record before this Court on appeal, as we have been provided
only with the transcript of the sentencing hearing and the presentence investigation report. No bill of
particulars was filed.
Tuscarawas County, Case No. 2022 AP 06 0018                                                3

was accused of in this case. A friend of Appellant’s informed the court he was involved

in some of the situations with Appellant’s ex, and she made his life difficult. The friend

maintained the things Appellant was accused of were not true. Appellant stated he was

sorry for the pain he caused the victims. The trial court noted guilt was no longer a

question because Appellant had entered a plea of no contest, upon which he was

convicted.

       {¶5}    As to B.E., the trial court stated Appellant was not the parent of the child,

who was under the age of ten, but was put in a position where he was left in charge of

the child, as a “mentor.” Tr. 7. The court found Appellant was placed in a position to

protect the victim, not use the victim for sexual gratification. The court noted Appellant

had a history of juvenile delinquency, including at least one offense of abduction.

Appellant was convicted of violating a temporary protection order and disorderly conduct

as an adult.    The trial court expressed concerns over the conviction of violating a

temporary protection order because it indicated Appellant could not follow a court order.

The trial court also noted while on bail, Appellant violated the terms of his bail by testing

positive for alcohol and marijuana. While the presentence investigation reflected a low

recidivism score, the trial court concluded indications of recidivism were likely based on

Appellant’s history.

       {¶6}    The trial court found the presumption in favor of community control had

been rebutted. The trial court sentenced Appellant to twelve months incarceration on

each count. The trial court ordered the sentences to run consecutively, finding pursuant

to R.C. 2929.14(C)(4) Appellant’s history of criminal conduct demonstrates consecutive

sentences are necessary to protect the public from future crime by Appellant, and at least
Tuscarawas County, Case No. 2022 AP 06 0018                                             4

two of the offenses were committed as part of one or more courses of conduct, and the

harm was so great or unusual that no single prison term for any of the offenses committed

as part of the course of conduct adequately reflects the seriousness of Appellant’s

conduct.

      {¶7}   It is from the June 8, 2022 judgment of the trial court Appellant prosecutes

his appeal, assigning as error:

             I. THE TRIAL COURT ERRED WHEN IT IMPOSED A PRISON

      SENTENCE AS OPPOSED TO COMMUNITY CONTROL UPON THE

      APPELLANT.

             II.   THE    TRIAL    COURT      ERRED      WHEN      IT   IMPOSED

      CONSECUTIVE SENTENCES AS OPPOSED TO A CONCURRENT

      SENTENCE UPON THE APPELLANT.

                                               I.

      {¶8}   In his first assignment of error, Appellant argues the trial court abused its

discretion in imposing a prison sentence instead of community control. He argues he

does not have an extensive criminal record, was employed at the time of sentencing, had

a low recidivism score, his mother needs him to be home to care for her, and he displayed

genuine remorse at sentencing.

      {¶9}   We review felony sentences using the standard of review set forth in R.C.

2953.08. State v. Roberts, 5th Dist. Licking No. 2020 CA 0030, 2020-Ohio-6722, ¶13,

citing State v. Marcum, 146 Ohio St.3d 516, 2016-Ohio-1002, 59 N.E.3d 1231. R.C.
Tuscarawas County, Case No. 2022 AP 06 0018                                                5

2953.08(G)(2) provides we may either increase, reduce, modify, or vacate a sentence

and remand for sentencing where we clearly and convincingly find either the record does

not support the sentencing court's findings under R.C. 2929.13(B) or (D),

2929.14(B)(2)(e) or (C)(4), or 2929.20(l), or the sentence is otherwise contrary to law. Id.,

citing State v. Bonnell, 140 Ohio St.3d 209, 2014-Ohio-3177, 16 N.E.3d 659.

       {¶10} Pursuant to this statute, we may increase, reduce, modify, or vacate a

sentence where we clearly and convincingly find the record does not support the trial

court’s findings pursuant to R.C. 2929.13(B)(1), which provides in pertinent part:

              (b) The court has discretion to impose a prison term upon an offender

       who is convicted of or pleads guilty to a felony of the fourth or fifth degree

       that is not an offense of violence or that is a qualifying assault offense if any

       of the following apply:

              (iii) The offender violated a term of the conditions of bond as set by

       the court.

              (iv) The offense is a sex offense that is a fourth or fifth degree felony

       violation of any provision of Chapter 2907. of the Revised Code.

       {¶11} Appellant has not demonstrated the trial court’s finding he violated a term

of the condition of his bond and the trial court’s finding the instant offenses were fourth

degree felony sex offenses in violation of a provision of Chapter 2907 of the Revised

Code are contrary to law. We do not find the record does not clearly and convincingly
Tuscarawas County, Case No. 2022 AP 06 0018                                                 6

support the trial court’s findings concerning the exercise of its discretion to sentence

Appellant to a prison term in this case.

       {¶12} When sentencing a defendant, the trial court must consider the purposes

and principles of felony sentencing set forth in R.C. 2929.11 and the seriousness and

recidivism factors in R.C. 2929.12. State v. Hodges, 8th Dist. Cuyahoga No. 99511, 2013-

Ohio-5025, ¶ 7.

       {¶13} “The overriding purposes of felony sentencing are to protect the public from

future crime by the offender and others, to punish the offender, and to promote the

effective rehabilitation of the offender using the minimum sanctions that the court

determines accomplish those purposes without imposing an unnecessary burden on state

or local government resources.” R.C. 2929.11(A). To achieve these purposes, the

sentencing court shall consider the need for incapacitating the offender, deterring the

offender and others from future crime, rehabilitating the offender, and making restitution

to the victim of the offense, the public, or both. Id. Further, the sentence imposed shall be

“commensurate with and not demeaning to the seriousness of the offender's conduct and

its impact on the victim, and consistent with sentences imposed for similar crimes by

similar offenders.” R.C. 2929.11(B).

       {¶14} R.C. 2929.12 lists general factors which must be considered by the trial

court in determining the sentence to be imposed for a felony, and gives detailed criteria

which do not control the court's discretion, but which must be considered for or against

severity or leniency in a particular case. The trial court retains discretion to determine the

most effective way to comply with the purpose and principles of sentencing as set forth in

R.C. 2929.11. R.C. 2929.12.
Tuscarawas County, Case No. 2022 AP 06 0018                                                7

       {¶15} Nothing in R.C. 2953.08(G)(2) permits this Court to independently weigh

the evidence in the record and substitute our own judgment for that of the trial court to

determine a sentence which best reflects compliance with R.C. 2929.11 and R.C.

2929.12. State v. Jones, 1163 Ohio St.3d 242, 69 N.E.3d 649, 2020-Ohio-6729, ¶ 42.

Instead, we may only determine if the sentence is contrary to law.

       {¶16} A sentence is not clearly and convincingly contrary to law where the trial

court “considers the principles and purposes of R.C. 2929.11, as well as the factors listed

in R.C. 2929.12, properly imposes post release control, and sentences the defendant

within the permissible statutory range.” State v. Pettorini, 5th Dist. Licking No. 2020 CA

00057, 2021-Ohio-1512, 2021 WL 1714216, ¶¶ 14-16 quoting State v. Dinka, 12th Dist.

Warren Nos. CA2019-03-022 & CA2019-03-026, 2019-Ohio-4209, ¶ 36.

       {¶17} We do not find the sentence is contrary to law in the instant case. The trial

court considered the principles and purposes of R.C. 2929.11, as well as the factors listed

in R.C. 2929.12. The trial court specifically noted in the sentencing entry Appellant’s

conduct was more serious than conduct normally constituting the offenses because the

injuries caused were exacerbated by the victim’s age, and Appellant’s relationship with

the victims facilitated the offenses. The trial court further states its belief Appellant was

more likely to commit future crimes because he has not responded favorably to sanctions

previously imposed in adult or juvenile court, he has a history of criminal convictions and

juvenile delinquency adjudications, and he did not show genuine remorse. The sentence

imposed on Appellant of twelve months for each count is within the sentencing range of

six to eighteen months set forth in R.C. 2929.14(A)(4). We find the sentence in the instant

case is not contrary to law.
Tuscarawas County, Case No. 2022 AP 06 0018                                            8

      {¶18} The first assignment of error is overruled.

                                                II.

      {¶19} In his second assignment of error, Appellant argues the trial court erred in

imposing consecutive sentences.      He does not argue the trial court failed to make the

requisite findings pursuant to R.C. 2929.14, but rather argues generally a twelve-month

prison sentence is sufficient to adequately protect the public and punish Appellant.

      {¶20} R.C. 2929.14(C)(4) provides:

             (4) If multiple prison terms are imposed on an offender for convictions

      of multiple offenses, the court may require the offender to serve the prison

      terms consecutively if the court finds that the consecutive service is

      necessary to protect the public from future crime or to punish the offender

      and that consecutive sentences are not disproportionate to the seriousness

      of the offender's conduct and to the danger the offender poses to the public,

      and if the court also finds any of the following:

             (a) The offender committed one or more of the multiple offenses

      while the offender was awaiting trial or sentencing, was under a sanction

      imposed pursuant to section 2929.16, 2929.17, or 2929.18 of the Revised

      Code, or was under post-release control for a prior offense.

             (b) At least two of the multiple offenses were committed as part of

      one or more courses of conduct, and the harm caused by two or more of

      the multiple offenses so committed was so great or unusual that no single
Tuscarawas County, Case No. 2022 AP 06 0018                                                9

       prison term for any of the offenses committed as part of any of the courses

       of conduct adequately reflects the seriousness of the offender's conduct.

              (c) The offender's history of criminal conduct demonstrates that

       consecutive sentences are necessary to protect the public from future crime

       by the offender.

       {¶21} The trial court must make the R.C. 2929.14(C)(4) findings at the sentencing

hearing and incorporate its findings into its sentencing entry, but it has no obligation to

state reasons to support its findings, nor must it recite certain talismanic words or phrases

in order to be considered to have complied. State v. Bonnell, 140 Ohio St.3d 209, 2014-

Ohio-3177, syllabus.

       {¶22} In deciding whether to impose consecutive sentencing, the trial court is to

consider the aggregate term of incarceration which will result from consecutive

sentencing.   State v. Gwynne, 2022-Ohio-4607, 2022 WL 17870605, ¶¶14-15.                  In

Gwynne, the Ohio Supreme Court recently clarified the standard of review this Court is to

use on review of consecutive sentences:

              It is important to understand that the standards referenced above

       have very specific meanings and fall into one of two categories—either a

       standard of review or an evidentiary standard of proof. “Abuse of discretion,”

       “clearly erroneous,” and “substantial evidence” are traditional forms of

       appellate-court deference that are applied to a trial court's decisions. They

       are standards of review that are applied by a reviewing court to certain
Tuscarawas County, Case No. 2022 AP 06 0018                                               10

     decisions that are made by a fact-finder. They are, in essence, screens

     through which reviewing courts must view the original fact-finder's decision.

     In contrast, “preponderance,” “clear and convincing,” and “beyond a

     reasonable doubt” are evidentiary standards of proof. These standards

     apply to a fact-finder's consideration of the evidence. R.C. 2953.08(G)(2)’s

     requirement that appellate courts apply the clear-and-convincing standard

     on review indicates that the legislature did not intend for appellate courts to

     defer to a trial court's findings but to act as a second fact-finder in reviewing

     the trial court's order of consecutive sentences.

            In this role as a finder of fact, the appellate court essentially functions

     in the same way as the trial court when imposing consecutive sentences in

     the first instance. There are three key differences, however. The first

     difference, which is discerned from the language of R.C. 2953.08(G)(2), is

     that the appellate court is constrained to considering only the findings in

     R.C. 2929.14(C)(4) that the trial court has actually made. In other words, a

     reviewing court cannot determine for itself which of the three permissible

     findings within R.C. 2929.14(C)(4)(a)-(c) might apply to satisfy the third

     required finding for imposing consecutive sentences, as the trial court is

     permitted to do. The second difference involves the standard of proof.

     Whereas the trial court's standard of proof under R.C. 2929.14(C)(4) is a

     preponderance of the evidence—i.e., that when considered as a whole, the

     evidence demonstrates that the proposition of fact represented by the

     finding is more likely true, or more probable, than not—an appellate court
Tuscarawas County, Case No. 2022 AP 06 0018                                              11

      applies a clear and convincing evidence standard of proof. And the third

      difference is the inversion of the ultimate question before the court.

      Whereas the trial court is tasked with determining whether the proposition

      of fact represented by each finding is more likely—or more probably—true

      than not, an appellate court's task is to determine whether it has a firm belief

      or conviction that the proposition of fact represented by each finding is not

      true on consideration of the evidence in the record.

             Thus, when viewed in its proper context, the deference that a trial

      court's consecutive-sentence findings receive comes from the language of

      R.C. 2953.08(G)(2), which imposes a higher evidentiary standard to reverse

      or modify consecutive sentences. It does not stem from any statutory

      requirement that the appellate court defer to the trial court's findings when

      considering whether reversal or modification is appropriate under R.C.

      2953.08(G)(2).

      {¶23} Id. at ¶¶20-22.

      {¶24} The trial court found Appellant’s history of criminal conduct demonstrates

consecutive sentences are necessary to protect the public from future crime by Appellant,

and at least two of the offenses were committed as part of one or more courses of

conduct, and the harm caused by two or more of the multiple offenses so committed was

so great or unusual that no single prison term for any of the offenses committed

adequately reflects the seriousness of his conduct.        Appellant does not specifically
Tuscarawas County, Case No. 2022 AP 06 0018                                                    12

challenge any of the court’s findings, but rather argues generally he did not deserve a

twenty-four-month sentence.

       {¶25} Upon review of the sentencing transcript and the presentence investigation

filed under seal in this case, we are not “left with a firm belief or conviction that the findings

are not supported by the evidence.” See, Id. at ¶27. With respect to B.E., Appellant

violated a position of trust in his relationship with the young child entrusted to his care in

the instant case. The presentence investigation reflected different types of conduct –

both Appellant touching the victim, and Appellant having the victim touch him. The victim

was under ten years of age.          The presentence investigation reveals the conduct

underlying the conviction of gross sexual imposition involving C.P. involved touching the

victim’s breast and genital area on top of her clothing. Although the facts are not as well-

developed in the record concerning this charge, as the victim’s stepfather, Appellant

would similarly have been in a position of trust with respect to C.P. as he was to B.E. at

the time of the offense.

       {¶26} Although Appellant does not have an extensive criminal record, he does

have both juvenile adjudications of delinquency and adult convictions. His prior conviction

for violating a temporary protection order, coupled with his violation of the terms of his

bond in the instant case, demonstrate an inability to comply with court orders. Although

Appellant apologized for hurting the victims, the trial court found he did not demonstrate

genuine remorse. We find the trial court was in a better position than this Court to

determine the sincerity of the apology.

       {¶27} The aggregate term of incarceration in the instant case was twenty-four

months, just six months more than the court could have imposed for a single offense. We
Tuscarawas County, Case No. 2022 AP 06 0018                                             13

do not find clearly and convincingly the record does not support the trial court’s findings

in the instant case.

       {¶28} The second assignment of error is overruled.

       {¶29} The judgment of the Tuscarawas County Common Pleas Court is affirmed.

By: Hoffman, J.
Gwin, P.J. and
Baldwin, J. concur