Sewell v. State, 73A01–1112–CR–609.

• Decision Date: 28 August 2012
• Docket Number: No. 73A01–1112–CR–609.,73A01–1112–CR–609.
• Citation: 973 N.E.2d 96
• Parties: Anthony Mark SEWELL, Appellant–Defendant, v. STATE of Indiana, Appellee–Plaintiff.
• Court: Indiana Appellate Court

973 N.E.2d 96

Anthony Mark SEWELL, Appellant–Defendant,

v.STATE of Indiana, Appellee–Plaintiff.

No. 73A01–1112–CR–609.

Court of Appeals of Indiana.

Aug. 28, 2012.

Gilda W. Caviness, Caviness Law Office, LLC, Rushville, IN, Attorney for Appellant.

Gregory F. Zoeller, Attorney General of Indiana, Ian McLean, Deputy Attorney General, Indianapolis, IN, Attorneys for Appellee.

OPINION

KIRSCH, Judge.

Anthony Mark Sewell (“Sewell”) appeals his conviction of committing a sex offender residency offense ¹ as a Class D felony, contending that the evidence was insufficient to support his conviction and that the conviction violated the prohibition against ex post facto provisions in both the federal and state constitutions.

We affirm.

FACTS AND PROCEDURAL HISTORY

Sewell was convicted of child molesting as a Class B felony in 2001. He was released from the Department of Correction in 2007 and placed on probation. Sewell, as an offender against children, was required to register his address with law enforcement. By July 2011, Sewell had registered seventeen times with the Shelby County Sheriff's Department (“SCSD”). Each time Sewell registered, the Shelby County Sex Offender Registry Clerk (“Registry worker”) would check Sewell's address against a computerized map, which indicated the distance from that address to any known addresses of churches, schools, or other locations having youth program centers. Sewell was also given an information packet in which his registry obligations were discussed. The packet included the explanation that Sewell was not allowed to spend more than two nights within any thirty-day period in a residence that was within 1,000 feet of a youth program center. A Registry worker would orally explain the information to Sewell each time he registered. Sewell would then initial and sign the information packet in the presence of a Registry worker, who countersigned the form.

In June 2011, Sewell went to the SCSD registry and informed them that he intended to move to 42 West Brookville Road in Fountaintown. A Registry worker checked the address against the computerized map and informed Sewell that his proposed residential address was within 1,000 feet of a church. That church, the Community Church of Fountaintown, was within 1,000 feet of 42 West Brookville Road. The Registry worker explained to Sewell that he would violate the law if he lived within 1,000 feet of the church and if the church maintained a school, day-care, or youth program center. The Registry worker told Sewell that if he could obtain a statement from the church that it did not house those facilities or activities, he might be able to reside within 1,000 feet of the church's property. Sewell decided not to change his residential registration at that time.

On July 1, 2011, Sewell returned to the SCSD registry and attempted to register 42 West Brookville Road as his residential address. Sewell had a letter from Pastor Michael Smith of the church, which included the statement that the church did not have a day-care or school on the property. Because the letter made no mention of youth programs, the Registry worker called the church to inquire about the church's operations. In that telephone call, Pastor Smith verified that the church had a youth program for children younger than eighteen years of age on Sunday evenings from 5:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. Based upon that information, the Registry worker told Sewell that he could not live within 1,000 feet of the church without violating the law. Sewell disputed what the Registry worker said and produced a video-recording cell phone. The Registry worker repeated that Sewell could not live within 1,000 feet of the church without violating the law. Sewell then told the Registry worker that the rent at his present address was paid until July 3 or July 4, 2011 and that he would remain there until then.

On July 5, 2011, Sewell returned to the SCSD registry, this time with Pastor Smith. Sewell registered 42 Brookville Road as his new residential address. The Registry worker used a previous map printout to remind Sewell that the address was within 1,000 feet of a youth program center. Sewell explained that Pastor Smith came with him to clear everything up. The Registry worker replied, “Anthony it's not gonna matter if I speak with the minister or not, that address still violates the 1,000 feet” restriction. Tr. at 30. Pastor Smith went to speak to the Shelby County Sheriff. Pastor Smith recalled being confused about the reason why it was fine for Sewell, who had recently become a member of the church, to attend church services, but was prohibited from living within 1,000 feet of the church.

Pastor Smith returned to the registration desk after speaking with the sheriff. Sewell told the Registry worker that he would register the address as his temporary residence. The Registry worker informed Pastor Smith that registering the address as a temporary residence did not exempt the address from the 1,000 foot exclusion zone, and that Sewell's residence there would be a violation of the law. The Registry worker recalled telling Sewell that many other offenders who had tried the same or similar thing had been in violation of the 1,000 foot exclusion zone. Sewell registered the address as his residence nonetheless.

Sergeant James Lacy (“Sergeant Lacy”) of the SCSD was assigned to check the residential addresses of registered sex offenders. On July 1, 2011, Sergeant Lacy received an e-mail from the SCSD registry that Sewell's residence at 42 West Brookville Road violated the law. Sergeant Lacy received a further report from the SCSD registry on July 5, 2011. Sergeant Lacy traveled to the address at slightly past midnight on July 6, 2011 and contacted Sewell, who verified in writing that he was living at that address. Sergeant Lacy warned Sewell that residing at that address was in violation of the law. Sewell argued with Sergeant Lacy about whether Sewell's residence there in fact violated the law.

During the weeks that followed, Sewell returned to the SCSD registry to re-register the address as a temporary residence. Sewell also made frequent calls to the Registry worker who met with him in July and indicated that he was trying to find another address, but that he could not move because he was ill, or that he could not move because he lacked the money for another residence. Sewell also complained about the fact that SCSD would not allow him to live within 1,000 feet of the church, even though he had given them a letter from Pastor Smith. The Registry worker reminded Sewell that the letter omitted information about youth programs, which the church had, and that Sewell could not live within 1,000 feet of a youth program center. Sewell was reminded on several occasions that Registry workers could not change the law or grant exemptions.

On July 11, 2011, Sergeant Lacy attempted to verify Sewell's residence at 42 West Brookville Road. At approximately midnight of that same evening, Sergeant Lacy located Sewell at Sewell's mother's house in Shelbyville. Sewell's mother's house is within 1,000 feet of a day-care center. Sergeant Lacy spoke with Sewell, who indicated that he was staying at his mother's house in order to attend an appointment with Sewell's probation officer the following day. Sewell told Sergeant Lacy that he had been living at 42 West Brookville Road since July 5, 2011, and also indicated that he had a letter from a pastor of the church. Sewell stated that he had intended to show the letter to the prosecuting attorney but had not done so yet. Sergeant Lacy reminded Sewell that he could not reside within 1,000 feet of the church. The officer recalled that Sewell had always been fairly easy to get along with, but that he liked to argue. The officer found Sewell's arguments to be unproductive because the officer enforces the law and does not make the law.

The State charged Sewell with one count of residing within 1,000 feet of a youth program center. At the conclusion of his bench trial, the trial court found Sewell guilty and sentenced him to one and one-half years in the Department of Correction with six months suspended to probation. Sewell now appeals.

DISCUSSION AND DECISION

Sewell argues that there was insufficient evidence to support his conviction. In particular, Sewell argues that there was insufficient evidence that the church was, in fact, a youth program center. Further, he claims that the evidence does not establish that he knowingly or intentionally resided within 1,000 feet of a youth program center. He also argues that there was insufficient evidence to establish that he was an offender against children.

Our standard of review for sufficiency claims is well settled. In reviewing a claim challenging the sufficiency of the evidence, we do not reweigh the evidence or reassess the credibility of the witnesses. Bond v. State, 925 N.E.2d 773, 781 (Ind.Ct.App.2010). We consider only the evidence most favorable to the judgment and the reasonable inferences drawn therefrom. Id. We will affirm if the evidence and those inferences constitute substantial evidence of probative value to support the verdict. Id.

We first address Sewell's contention that there was insufficient evidence to establish that the church was a youth program center. In order to convict Sewell, the State was required to prove that, as an offender against children, he knowingly or intentionally resided within 1,000 feet of a youth program center. SeeInd.Code § 35–42–4–11. A youth program center is defined by statute as a “building or structure that on a regular basis provides recreational, vocational, academic, social, or other programs or services for persons less than eighteen (18) years of age.” SeeInd.Code § 35–31.5–2–357.² “The statute neither explicitly nor implicitly places any limitation on the content of the programs offered or the purposes for which children are present.” Whatley v. State, 928 N.E.2d 202,...