People v. Sawyer

• Citation: 135 A.D.3d 1164,22 N.Y.S.3d 711
• Parties: The PEOPLE of the State of New York, Respondent, v. Jon J. SAWYER, Appellant.
• Decision Date: 21 January 2016
• Court: New York Supreme Court Appellate Division

135 A.D.3d 1164

22 N.Y.S.3d 711

The PEOPLE of the State of New York, Respondent,

v.Jon J. SAWYER, Appellant.

Supreme Court, Appellate Division, Third Department, New York.

Jan. 21, 2016.

John A. Cirando, Syracuse, for appellant.

Mary E. Rain, District Attorney, Canton (Ramy Louis of counsel), for respondent.

Before: PETERS, P.J., GARRY, EGAN JR., ROSE and DEVINE, JJ.

ROSE, J.

Appeal from a judgment of the County Court of St. Lawrence County (Richards, J.), rendered October 17, 2013, convicting defendant upon his plea of guilty of the crimes of grand larceny in the fourth degree and criminal possession of a forged instrument in the second degree (six counts).

Defendant was charged by indictment with one count of grand larceny in the fourth degree, six counts of criminal possession of a forged instrument in the second degree and one count of attempted bribing a witness. County Court dismissed the count of attempted bribing a witness, and defendant pleaded guilty to the remaining seven counts. During the plea allocution, defendant also orally waived his right to appeal and executed a written appeal waiver. After defendant was allowed to complete a drug rehabilitation program pursuant to his plea agreement, County Court sentenced him, as a second felony offender, to an aggregate prison term of 4 to 8 years. He now appeals.

Defendant first argues that he did not knowingly waive his right to appeal. Our review of the record reveals, however, that County Court explained the meaning of the appeal waiver to defendant, noted that it is separate and distinct from the rights forfeited by his guilty plea, and ascertained that he understood it and had no questions about it. Defendant also signed a written waiver of appeal with the assistance of counsel in open court. Accordingly, the record amply demonstrates that defendant's appeal waiver was knowing, voluntary and intelligent (see People v. Lopez, 6 N.Y.3d 248, 256–257, 811 N.Y.S.2d 623, 844 N.E.2d 1145 [2006] ; People v. Jackson, 129 A.D.3d 1342, 1342, 10 N.Y.S.3d 368 [2015] ; People v. Toback, 125 A.D.3d 1060, 1061, 3 N.Y.S.3d 444 [2015], lv. denied 25 N.Y.3d 993, 10 N.Y.S.3d 536, 32 N.E.3d 973 [2015] ). Nor can we agree with defendant's argument that this was a situation in which he agreed to plead guilty with " ‘no [return] promise, plea agreement, reduced charge, or any other bargain or consideration’ " from the People or the court (People v. Crump, 107 A.D.3d 1046, 1047, 966 N.Y.S.2d 282 [2013], lv. denied 21 N.Y.3d 1014, 971 N.Y.S.2d 497, 994 N.E.2d 393 [2013], quoting People v. Nicelli, 74 A.D.3d 1235, 1236, 904 N.Y.S.2d 119 [2010] ; see People v. Coles, 13 A.D.3d 665, 666, 786 N.Y.S.2d 595 [2004] ). Rather, in exchange for his guilty plea, defendant was released prior to sentencing and allowed to seek inpatient drug rehabilitation treatment. The court also assured defendant that successful completion of such a program would be taken into consideration at sentencing. Ultimately, the court credited defendant with full completion of the program and sentenced him to an aggregate prison term of 4 to 8 years, far less than the maximum sentence that would have been legally permissible (see Penal Law §§ 70.06[3][d], [e] ; 155.30[1]; 170.25).

While defendant's challenge to the voluntariness of his guilty plea survives his appeal waiver, it is unpreserved for our review as he failed to make a postallocution motion to withdraw...