[Cite as State v. Wile, 2017-Ohio-699.]
COURT OF APPEALS
RICHLAND 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. 16CA41
TONY L. WILE
Defendant-Appellant OPINION
CHARACTER OF PROCEEDING: Appeal from the Richland County Common
Pleas Court, Case No. 2007CR0993 D
JUDGMENT: Affirmed
DATE OF JUDGMENT ENTRY: February 23, 2017
APPEARANCES:
For Plaintiff-Appellee For Defendant-Appellant
BAMBI COUCH PAGE RANDALL E. FRY
Prosecuting Attorney 10 West Newlon Place
Richland County, Ohio Mansfield, Ohio 44902
By: DANIEL M. ROGERS
Assistant Prosecuting Attorney
Richland County Prosecutor’s Office
38 S. Park Street
Mansfield, Ohio 44902
Richland County, Case No. 16CA41 2
Hoffman, J.
{¶1} Defendant-appellant Tony L. Wile appeals the May 19, 2016 Journal Entry
finding Appellant guilty of a probation violation and the May 24, 2016 Judgment Entry
denying Appellant’s motion to dismiss, both entries entered by the Richland County Court
of Common Pleas. Plaintiff-appellee is the state of Ohio.
STATEMENT OF THE FACTS AND CASE
{¶2} On January 15, 2009, Appellant entered a plea of no contest to the charges
of possession of Ketamine, a Schedule III controlled substance, in violation of R.C.
2925.11(A), a third degree misdemeanor; and possession of LSD, a Schedule I controlled
substance, in violation of R.C. 2925.11(A), a felony of the fourth degree.
{¶3} Via Judgment Entry filed on March 10, 2009, the trial court ordered
Appellant undergo intervention in lieu of conviction. Pursuant to the trial court’s entry,
Appellant would continue drug intervention treatment for a minimum of one year and
should not be released without approval of the trial court. The entry states,
2. As required by O.R.C. 2951.041(D), Defendant is placed under
the supervision of the Richland County Court Services and subject to
community control sanctions for a period of at least one year.***
{¶4} On November 6, 2013, a bench warrant was issued for Appellant due to his
failure to complete his intervention in lieu of conviction terms.
{¶5} On August 7, 2014, the trial court found Appellant guilty of both counts of
possession of drugs, based upon his prior plea of no contest. Via Sentencing Entry of
September 18, 2014, the trial court ordered Appellant pay a fine to the Mansfield Police
Department and restitution to the Mansfield Police Department Lab. The trial court
Richland County, Case No. 16CA41 3
suspended Appellant’s license for six months, and imposed two years of community
control. The trial court indicated a violation of community control would lead to a prison
term of eighteen months.
{¶6} On January 26, 2016, a bench warrant was issued due to Appellant’s
violation of community control.
{¶7} On February 2, 2016, a notice of hearing and probation violation was filed
by the state, alleging Appellant violated the terms of his community control.
{¶8} On May 17, 2016, Appellant filed a motion to dismiss.
{¶9} On May 18, 2016, the trial court conducted a hearing on the probation
violation. Via Journal Entry filed on May 19, 2016, the trial court found Appellant guilty of
the probation violation. The trial court imposed sentence of thirty days as to Count 1 and
eighteen months as to Count 2, to be served concurrently.
{¶10} On May 24, 2016, via Judgment Entry, the trial court denied Appellant’s
motion to dismiss.
{¶11} Appellant appeals, assigning as error,
{¶12} “I. THE TRIAL COURT ERRED IN OVERRULING THE APPELLANT’S
MOTION TO DISMISS.”
{¶13} Appellant maintains the trial court lacked jurisdiction to impose community
control sanctions exceeding five years and to find Appellant violated the community
control sanctions.
{¶14} Pursuant to R.C. 2951.07, a defendant’s total period of probation cannot
exceed five years. The statute reads,
Richland County, Case No. 16CA41 4
A community control sanction continues for the period that the judge
or magistrate determines and, subject to the five-year limit specified in
section 2929.15 or 2929.25 of the Revised Code, may be extended. If the
offender under community control absconds or otherwise leaves the
jurisdiction of the court without permission from the probation officer, the
probation agency, or the court to do so, or if the offender is confined in any
institution for the commission of any offense, the period of community
control ceases to run until the time that the offender is brought before the
court for its further action.
{¶15} Here, Appellant was granted intervention in lieu of conviction, pursuant to
R.C. 2951.041. The statute reads, in pertinent part,
(D) If the court grants an offender's request for intervention in lieu of
conviction, the court shall place the offender under the general control and
supervision of the county probation department, the adult parole authority,
or another appropriate local probation or court services agency, if one
exists, as if the offender was subject to a community control sanction
imposed under section 2929.15, 2929.18, or 2929.25 of the Revised Code.
The court shall establish an intervention plan for the offender. The terms
and conditions of the intervention plan shall require the offender, for at least
one year from the date on which the court grants the order of intervention
in lieu of conviction, to abstain from the use of illegal drugs and alcohol, to
Richland County, Case No. 16CA41 5
participate in treatment and recovery support services, and to submit to
regular random testing for drug and alcohol use and may include any other
treatment terms and conditions, or terms and conditions similar to
community control sanctions, which may include community service or
restitution, that are ordered by the court.
***
(F) If the court grants an offender's request for intervention in lieu of
conviction and the offender fails to comply with any term or condition
imposed as part of the intervention plan for the offender, the supervising
authority for the offender promptly shall advise the court of this failure, and
the court shall hold a hearing to determine whether the offender failed to
comply with any term or condition imposed as part of the plan. If the court
determines that the offender has failed to comply with any of those terms
and conditions, it shall enter a finding of guilty and shall impose an
appropriate sanction under Chapter 2929. of the Revised Code. If the court
sentences the offender to a prison term, the court, after consulting with the
department of rehabilitation and correction regarding the availability of
services, may order continued court-supervised activity and treatment of the
offender during the prison term and, upon consideration of reports received
from the department concerning the offender's progress in the program of
activity and treatment, may consider judicial release under section 2929.20
of the Revised Code.
(G) As used in this section:
Richland County, Case No. 16CA41 6
***
(2) “Community control sanction” has the same meaning as in
section 2929.01 of the Revised Code.
***
(Emphasis added.)
{¶16} On March 10, 2009, the trial court entered a judgment of intervention in lieu
of conviction, pursuant to R.C. 2951.041. The statute provides a trial court granting
intervention in lieu shall place the offender under the general control and supervision of
the county probation department, the adult parole authority, or other appropriate agency,
“as if” the offender was subject to community control sanction. We find Appellant’s
intervention in lieu of conviction, while “as if” on community control, was not equivalent to
community control imposed as part of a sentence following conviction. Appellant’s
subsequent sentence based upon his prior plea of no contest did not exceed the five year
limit on community control. Therefore, we conclude Appellant was not subjected to
community control sanctions for a period exceeding five years.
{¶17} Appellant’s assignment of error is overruled.
{¶18} The judgment of the Richland County Court of Common Pleas is affirmed.
Richland County, Case No. 16CA41 7
By: Hoffman, J.
Gwin, P.J. and
Baldwin, J. concur