Court Opinion

ID: 9841203
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-09-21 16:08:24.08008+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T08:39:50.153770
License: Public Domain

J-S19036-23

NON-PRECEDENTIAL DECISION - SEE SUPERIOR COURT O.P. 65.37

  COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA                 :   IN THE SUPERIOR COURT OF
                                               :        PENNSYLVANIA
                                               :
                v.                             :
                                               :
                                               :
  DONALD BRANT COPELAND                        :
                                               :
                       Appellant               :   No. 1185 MDA 2022

       Appeal from the Judgment of Sentence Entered March 31, 2022
              In the Court of Common Pleas of Luzerne County
           Criminal Division at No(s): CP-40-CR-0001896-2021

BEFORE: BENDER, P.J.E., McLAUGHLIN, J., and SULLIVAN, J.

MEMORANDUM BY SULLIVAN, J.:                    FILED: SEPTEMBER 21, 2023

       Donald Brant Copeland (“Copeland”) appeals from the judgment of

sentence imposed after he pled guilty to involuntary deviate sexual

intercourse (“IDSI”) with a complainant less than sixteen years of age and

IDSI with a child.1 We affirm.

       We summarize the factual and procedural history relevant to Copeland’s

arguments that the trial court should have merged the above-stated offenses

for sentencing. In February 2021, P.M., then twenty-two years old, reported

to police in Sugarloaf Township, Luzerne County that Copeland performed oral

sex on him on multiple occasions starting when P.M. was ten or eleven years

old until P.M. turned seventeen. See Affidavit of Probable Cause, 5/11/21, at

1. P.M. detailed numerous incidents of abuse: two of which occurred in Camp

Hill, Cumberland County, when P.M. was under thirteen years of age, and six
____________________________________________

1 18 Pa.C.S.A. § 3123(a)(7), (b).
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of which occurred in Cumberland County and Luzerne County after P.M. turned

thirteen. See id. at 1-2. Detectives obtained an authorization for, and P.M.’s

consent to, record a phone call P.M. made to Copeland. See id. at 2-3. During

the call, P.M. confronted Copeland about the abuse, and Copeland stated that

he never wanted to hurt P.M. See id. at 3. Sugarloaf Township Police filed a

criminal complaint charging Copeland with offenses committed at “various

locations in Luzerne [County] and Cumberland County.” Criminal Complaint,

5/11/22, at 1 (capitalization omitted).

      The District Attorney’s Office of Luzerne County (“the Commonwealth”)

filed an information charging Copeland as follows:

      COUNT 1: IDSI Person Less Than 16 Yrs Age - (F1)
      On or about:     01/01/2008       ...
      through:         06/04/2016
      The Actor, engaged in deviate sexual intercourse with the
      complainant, namely, P.M., who was less than sixteen (16) years
      of age and the actor is four (4) or more years older than the
      complainant, and the complainant and the actor are not married
      to each other.

      COUNT 2: Invol. Deviate Sexual Intercourse W/Child - (F1)
      On or about:    01/01/2008       ...
      through:        06/04/2016
      The Actor engaged in deviate sexual intercourse with another
      person, namely, P.M., who was less than thirteen (13) years of
      age.

See Information, 8/3/21, at 1 (“August 2021 information”). The August 2021

information did not expressly distinguish the factual bases of the two counts

by dates or location and largely incorporated statutory definitions of the

offenses, see 18 Pa.C.S.A. § 3123(a)(7), (b).

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       An assistant district attorney signed a “plea agreement form” on August

30, 2021. See Plea Agreement Form, filed 11/16/21.         Under the heading

“preliminary hearing,” the form states, “defendant agrees to enter a guilty

plea to[,]” then lists the two charged offenses.      See id. (capitalization

omitted).

       In October 2021, the Commonwealth filed an amended information,

which read:

       COUNT 1 - IDSI Person Less Than 16 Yrs Age . . .
       The Actor, engaged in deviate sexual intercourse with the
       complainant, namely, P.M., who was less than sixteen (16) years
       of age and the actor is four (4) or more years older than the
       complainant, and the complainant and the actor are not married
       to each other. To Wit: between 2012 and June 4, 2016 in Luzerne
       County (Sugarloaf Township and/or Hazleton and/or Wilkes Barre)

       COUNT 2 - Invol. Deviate Sexual Intercourse W/Child . . .
       The Actor engaged in deviate sexual intercourse with another
       person, namely, P.M., who was less than thirteen (13) years of
       age. To Wit: between 2008 through June 4, 2011 in Cumberland
       County.

Amended Information, 10/8/21 (“October 2021 amended information”).

Unlike the August 2021 information, the October 2021 amended information

distinguished each count by date and location and clarified that each offense

related to a separate criminal act. However, the record contains no indication

that the trial court allowed the amendment,2 and neither the parties, nor the

____________________________________________

2 See Pa.R.Crim.P. 564 (stating, “The court may allow an information to be

amended, provided that the information as amended does not charge offenses
arising from a different set of events and that the amended charges are not
(Footnote Continued Next Page)

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trial court, specifically referred to the October 2021 amended information in

subsequent proceedings.

       In November 2021, Copeland and his counsel (“plea counsel”) signed

the plea agreement form. See Plea Agreement Form, filed 11/16/21, at 1.

They signed in a separate section of the form that contained an

acknowledgment that Copeland understood the “affidavit/factual basis for the

charges in this case.” See id. at 1 (capitalization omitted).

       Copeland then appeared for a plea hearing at which plea counsel stated

that Copeland intended to enter guilty pleas to the two counts. See N.T.,

11/15/21, at 2. During the colloquy of Copeland, the trial court asked, “By

pleading guilty you’re now, in fact, telling this [c]ourt that you did commit

these offenses. Is that true?” See id. at 4 (emphasis added).3 Copeland

responded, “Yes.” Id. The court later asked plea counsel, “[W]ill you stipulate

to the facts of this case?” Id. at 4-5. Plea counsel responded affirmatively,

and when the court asked if the Commonwealth had any objections, the

assistant district attorney responded, “None . . ..”     Id. at 5.   Copeland

acknowledged that he was satisfied with plea counsel’s representation, and

plea counsel asserted that the pleas were in Copeland’s best interest. See id.

The court accepted Copeland’s guilty pleas and deferred sentencing.
____________________________________________

so materially different from the original charge that the defendant would be
unfairly prejudiced. . . .).

3 Neither the plea agreement form nor the oral guilty plea colloquy discussed

the possibility of consecutive sentences.

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       On March 31, 2022, the trial court held a sentencing hearing. Copeland

stipulated to a finding that he was a sexually violent predator.    See N.T.,

3/31/22, at 2. Plea counsel argued for concurrent sentences. See id. at 7.

The court sentenced Copeland to four to eight years in prison for IDSI with a

complainant less than sixteen years of age and a consecutive six to twelve

years in prison, with a concurrent three years of probation, for IDSI with a

child. See id. at 8.

       New counsel entered an appearance for Copeland and filed a post-

sentence motion requesting a new sentencing hearing to present evidence

concerning mitigating factors.4 See Motion for Reconsideration, 4/11/22, at

2-4.   The trial court denied the post-sentence relief, and Copeland timely

appealed. After receiving an extension of time, Copeland complied with the

trial court’s order for a Pa.R.A.P. 1925(b) statement and for the first time

asserted that the trial court imposed an illegal sentence by failing to merge

the counts of IDSI with a complainant less than sixteen years of age and IDSI

with a child.5 The trial court filed a responsive opinion concluding, in part,

____________________________________________

4 New counsel filed his post-sentence motion on Monday, April 11, 2022.    The
tenth day after sentencing on March 31, 2022, fell on a Sunday, therefore,
the post-sentence motion filed on the following business day, was timely filed.
See 1 Pa.C.S.A. § 1908. Copeland also filed a supplemental post-sentence
motion asserting that he may have previously undiagnosed and untreated
mental health issues. See Supplemental Motion for Reconsideration, 7/14/22,
at 1-2.

5  Copeland’s Rule 1925(b) statement also raised a challenge to the
discretionary aspects of his sentence, but Copeland has abandoned that issue
on appeal.

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that the offenses arose out of separate criminal acts as described in the

affidavit of probable cause and the October 2021 amended information. See

Trial Court Opinion, 10/24/22, at 2-3.

      Copeland raises the following issue for review:

      Whether Mr. Copeland’s sentences for 18 Pa.C.S.[A.] § 3123(a)(7)
      and 18 Pa.C.S.[A.] § 3123(b) should have merged since the
      charges have all of the same basic elements and the factual basis
      placed on the record during the guilty plea hearing did not provide
      that the offenses were based upon separate criminal acts?

Copeland’s Brief at 4.

      Our standard of review of a sentencing merger claim is de novo, and our

scope of review is plenary. See Commonwealth v. Brown, 159 A.3d 531,

532 (Pa. Super. 2017).      Sentencing merger implicates the legality of a

sentence. See Commonwealth v. Knupp, 290 A.3d 759, 777 (Pa. Super.

2023). Questions concerning the legality of a sentence are not waivable even

if the defendant failed to raise the issue in the trial court.              See

Commonwealth v. Eisenberg, 98 A.3d 1268, 1275 (Pa. 2014).

      A court must merge sentences when: (1) the offenses arise from a single

criminal act and (2) all of the statutory elements of one of the offenses are

included in the statutory elements of the other. See Brown, 159 A.3d at

533; see also 42 Pa.C.S.A. § 9765. When considering whether offenses arise

from a single criminal act, this Court may refer to the description of the

defendant’s conduct in the charging documents, including the criminal

information, criminal complaint, and affidavit of probable cause.           See

Commonwealth v. Martinez, 153 A.3d 1025, 1031-32 (Pa. Super. 2016).

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      On appeal, Copeland asserts the record establishes that his guilty pleas

were based on a single criminal act. He further argues that the elements of

IDSI with a complainant less than sixteen years of age subsume all elements

of IDSI with a child.

      We initially consider Copeland’s arguments that he only pled, or believed

he was pleading guilty, to a single criminal act. Copeland observes that at the

guilty plea hearing, the trial court referred to a stipulation without defining the

basis of the stipulation.    He asserts that the only document relevant to

determining the basis of the stipulation is the August 2021 information, which

he alleges, did not adequately apprise him that the offenses of IDSI with a

complainant less than sixteen years of age and IDSI with a child involved

separate criminal acts.     Copeland also asserts that neither the affidavit of

probable cause nor the October 2021 amended information supplement his

understanding of the stipulation because the parties did not refer to those

documents at the guilty plea hearing, the August 2021 information supplanted

the affidavit of probable cause, and the trial court did not allow the

Commonwealth to amend the August 2021 information.

      We discern no legal authority supporting Copeland’s cabined reading of

the record or his narrow construction of the August 2021 information. This

Court may look to all charging documents to determine whether offenses

arose out of a single act. See Martinez, 153 A.3d at 1031. Moreover, a court

may consider the totality of the circumstances to ensure guilty pleas are

supported   by   the    defendant’s   understanding    of   the   charges.    See

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Commonwealth v. Morrison, 878 A.2d 102, 107-08 (Pa. Super. 2005) (en

banc). It is well settled that the entry of guilty pleas will waive procedural

defects in the filing of charges. See Commonwealth v. Jones, 929 A.2d

205, 212 (Pa. 2007).

      Having reviewed the entire record, we find ample bases to conclude that

Copeland pled guilty to separate criminal acts. At the plea hearing, Copeland

admitted to having committed “these offenses.” See N.T., 11/15/21, at 2. In

the plea agreement form, Copeland and plea counsel signed underneath an

acknowledgement that Copeland understood the “affidavit/factual basis.”

Plea Agreement Form, 11/16/21, at 1 (capitalization omitted) (emphasis

added). The affidavit of probable cause, in turn, established that Copeland,

on multiple occasions, performed oral sex on P.M. See Affidavit of Probable

Cause, 5/11/21, at 1. P.M. specifically described two incidents that occurred

in Cumberland County when he was under thirteen years of age. See id. at

1. P.M. also detailed numerous other incidents that occurred after he turned

thirteen, but before he was sixteen years old, which occurred in Cumberland

and Luzerne County. See id. at 2. The August 2021 information, when read

in conjunction with the affidavit of probable cause, adequately apprised

Copeland that the offenses of IDSI with a complainant less than sixteen years

of age and IDSI with a child arose out of separate acts.

      The record reveals no additional support for Copeland’s argument that

he pled, or believed he was pleading guilty, to IDSI with a complainant less

than sixteen years of age and IDSI with a child based upon a single criminal

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act. The October 2021 amended information, even if improperly filed, more

clearly apprised Copeland of the same essential facts set forth in the affidavit

of probable cause and the August 2021 information, namely, the offense of

IDSI with a complainant less than sixteen years of age occurred after P.M.

turned thirteen in Cumberland or Luzerne County and the offense of IDSI with

a child occurred in Cumberland County before P.M. turned thirteen.          See

October 2021 Amended Information at 1; cf. Jones, 929 A.2d at 212.

Further, the record makes clear that Copeland’s plea counsel understood that

the offenses involved separate criminal acts. Plea counsel did not object to

the trial court’s references to the “offenses” at the guilty plea hearing, argued

for concurrent sentences at sentencing, and did not object to P.M.’s requests

for or court’s imposition of consecutive sentences. See N.T., 11/15/21, at 4-

5; see also N.T., 3/31/22, at 7-8. This court must presume that plea counsel

was competent and provided effective representation throughout the plea

process. Cf. Commonwealth v. Bedell, 954 A.2d 1209, 1211 (Pa. Super.

2008).

      Thus, we conclude the record established that Copeland understood he

was pleading guilty to separate acts of IDSI—one committed in Cumberland

County when P.M. was under the age of thirteen and one committed after P.M.

turned thirteen but before he turned sixteen. Accordingly, his claim that his

guilty pleas involved a single criminal act lacks merit, and his sentencing

merger claim must fail. See Commonwealth v. Williams, 958 A.2d 522,

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527 (Pa. Super. 2008) (noting when offenses arise from two different criminal

acts, a merger analysis of the elements of the offense is not required).6

       Judgment of sentence affirmed.

Judgment Entered.

Joseph D. Seletyn, Esq.
Prothonotary

Date: 09/21/2023

____________________________________________

6 Because we conclude Copeland pled guilty based on separate criminal acts,

we need not consider his argument that IDSI with a complainant less than
sixteen years of age includes all of the elements of IDSI with a child.
Williams, 958 A.2d at 527. We note IDSI with a complainant less than
sixteen years of age are both graded as first-degree felonies; however, our
legislature clearly intends IDSI with a child to be a separate and the more
severe offense. See 18 Pa.C.S.A. § 3123(a)(7), (b), (d)(1) (authorizing a
maximum sentence of forty years for IDSI with a child).

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