STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA
v. Gaston County
Nos.
01 CRS 67023,
RONNIE EARL CHASTAINE
01 CRS 67029-35,
02 CRS 04721-22,
02 CRS 04737-8
Attorney General Roy Cooper, by Assistant Attorney General
Patrick S. Wooten, for the State.
Don Willey for defendant-appellant.
MARTIN, Chief Judge.
Defendant Ronnie Earl Chastaine was indicted on two counts of
trafficking opiates by sale, two counts of trafficking opiates by
delivery, one count of trafficking opiates by manufacture, two
counts of trafficking opiates by possession, and two counts of
trafficking opiates by transportation,
selling xanax (alprazolam),
possession with intent to manufacture, sell and deliver oxycodone,
and possession with intent to manufacture, sell and deliver
xanax
(alprazolam)
.
On 16 September 2003, defendant entered an Alford plea to two
counts of attempt to traffic in opiates by sale, two counts of
attempt to traffic in opiates by delivery, two counts of attempt totraffic in opiates by transportation, two counts of attempt to
traffic in opiates by possession, one count of attempt to traffic
in opiates by manufacturing, possession with intent to sell and
deliver a Schedule II controlled substance, possession with intent
to sell and deliver a Schedule IV controlled substance, and sale of
a Schedule IV controlled substance. The trial court sentenced
defendant to: (1) a term of 19 to 23 months imprisonment in 01 CRS
67029 for attempt to traffic in opiates by sale; (2) a consecutive
term of 19 to 23 months imprisonment in 02 CRS 4721 for attempt to
traffic in opiates by sale; (3) a consecutive term of 19 months to
23 months imprisonment in 01 CRS 67031 for attempt to traffic in
opiates by transportation; and (4) a consecutive term of 19 to 23
months for the remaining nine offenses which were consolidated
under 01 CRS 67032.
On 23 November 2005, defendant filed a petition for writ of
certiorari with this Court. Defendant argued that: (1) the trial
court erred in sentencing him because there is no offense of
attempting to traffic in North Carolina, (2) the trial court erred
in determining his class of offense for the attempting to traffic
offenses; (3) the trial court erred in sentencing him to
consecutive terms of imprisonment under his guilty plea agreement;
and (4) his multiple sentences violated his due process rights. On
8 December 2005, this Court allowed the petition and granted
defendant a belated appeal.
Defendant's sole argument on appeal is that the trial court
sentenced him to a term of imprisonment unauthorized by the pleaagreement.
The plea agreement states that the trafficking charges
are reduced to attempt to traffic. Defendant claims that,
pursuant to the plain language of the agreement, that all the
trafficking charges were to be reduced to one count of attempt to
traffic. However, we decline to review defendant's argument.
When this Court granted defendant's petition for writ of
certiorari, it limited his right to appeal to those issues upon
which defendant had a right to direct appeal under N.C. Gen. Stat.
§ 15A-1444(a2)(2003). Pursuant to N.C. Gen. Stat. § 15A-1444, a
defendant who has pled guilty or no contest may appeal only the
following issues:
(1) whether the sentence is supported by the
evidence (if the minimum term of imprisonment
does not fall within the presumptive range);
(2) whether the sentence results from an
incorrect finding of the defendant's prior
record level under N.C. Gen. Stat. §
15A-1340.14 or the defendant's prior
conviction level under N.C. Gen. Stat. §
15A-1340.21; (3) whether the sentence
constitutes a type of sentence not authorized
by N.C. Gen. Stat. § 15A-1340.17 or §
15A-1340.23 for the defendant's class of
offense and prior record or conviction level;
(4) whether the trial court improperly denied
the defendant's motion to suppress; and (5)
whether the trial court improperly denied the
defendant's motion to withdraw his guilty
plea.
State v. Carter, 167 N.C. App. 582, 584, 605 S.E.2d 676, 678 (2004)
(citation omitted). The issue raised by defendant does not fall
into any of these categories. Thus, we lack jurisdiction to review
the issue raised by defendant on appeal. Accordingly, defendant's
appeal is dismissed.
Dismissed
.
Judges McGEE and HUNTER concur.
Report per Rule 30(e).
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