Com. v. Miller, B. ( 2016 )


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  • J-S58028-16
    NON-PRECEDENTIAL DECISION - SEE SUPERIOR COURT I.O.P. 65.37
    COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA                     IN THE SUPERIOR COURT OF
    PENNSYLVANIA
    v.
    BRUCE WAYNE MILLER
    Appellant                No. 1984 MDA 2015
    Appeal from the Order Entered April 22, 2015
    In the Court of Common Pleas of Lackawanna County
    Criminal Division at No(s): CP-35-CR-0000425-2011
    BEFORE: GANTMAN, P.J., BOWES AND PLATT,* JJ.
    MEMORANDUM BY BOWES, J.:                        FILED NOVEMBER 28, 2016
    Bruce Wayne Miller appeals pro se1 from the judgment of sentence of
    one to three years imprisonment that was imposed after he violated a
    technical condition of his special probation.2 We affirm.
    ____________________________________________
    1
    On April 4, 2016, we remanded this matter for a hearing pursuant to
    Commonwealth v. Grazier, 
    713 A.2d 81
    (Pa. 1998), to determine whether
    Appellant voluntarily waived his right to counsel. Following an on-the-record
    colloquy, the trial court accepted Appellant’s waiver of counsel as knowing
    and voluntary.
    2
    As opposed to typical “state” probation, special probation is an order of
    probation entered by the trial court that directs the Pennsylvania Board of
    Probation and Parole to supervise the probationary term of a state sentence
    but permits the trial court to retain the power to revoke probation under 42
    Pa.C.S. § 9771 and impose a new sentence. See 61 Pa.C.S. § 6133(a)
    (“The board shall have exclusive power to supervise any person placed on
    (Footnote Continued Next Page)
    * Retired Senior Judge assigned to the Superior Court.
    J-S58028-16
    On July 11, 2011, Appellant pled guilty to possession with intent to
    deliver (oxycodone). On May 31, 2013, the trial court imposed thirteen to
    thirty-six months imprisonment followed by two years of special probation to
    be   supervised    by     the    Pennsylvania     Board   of   Probation   and   Parole
    (“the Board”).3 We dismissed the ensuing appeal due to Appellant’s failure
    to file a brief.
    As it relates to the issues addressed herein, one of the conditions of
    special probation proscribed Appellant from traveling outside of the five-
    county supervisory district governed by the Board’s Allentown office.4
    Appellant began serving the special probation on May 15, 2014. On January
    _______________________
    (Footnote Continued)
    probation by any judge of a court having criminal jurisdiction, when the
    court by special order directs supervision by the board.”); Commonwealth
    v. Mitchell, 
    955 A.2d 433
    (Pa.Super. 2008). As Judge Klein explained in
    the concurring statement he authored in Mitchell, supra at 441, “by using
    special probation[,] . . . the [state] agent handling the parole will also
    handle the probation. At the same time, the trial judge retains his or her
    authority to resentence if there is a violation. This scheme is logical and
    maintains judicial discretion without duplicating effort.”
    3
    The trial court initially imposed the thirteen to thirty-six month judgment of
    sentence on February 28, 2012. On March 12, 2013, we vacated that
    sentence and remanded for further proceedings to supplement the record.
    See Commonwealth v. Miller, 
    69 A.3d 1289
    (Pa.Super. 2013)
    (unpublished memorandum).             On May 31, 2013, the trial court
    supplemented the record and re-imposed the original sentence.
    4
    The Allentown District comprised Bucks, Berks, Schuylkill, Lehigh, and
    Northampton Counties. N.T., 4/22/15, at 3. Appellant admitted to the
    supervising agent that he traveled outside the five-county district without
    authorization on approximately five occasions. 
    Id. at 4,
    6, 8.
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    22, 2015, Appellant’s probation agent filed a notice of technical violation
    alleging that Appellant had traveled outside the district without permission.
    Appellant waived his Gagnon I hearing.5
    On March 24, 2015, Appellant filed a petition to vacate the Gagnon II
    violation of probation (“VOP”) proceeding because the travel restriction was
    not imposed by the trial court and due to the approximately three-month
    delay between the date of the underlying traffic citation and the date that
    the Commonwealth issued notice of the violation of probation proceeding.
    The trial court denied the motion, and following the VOP hearing on April 22,
    2015, it found Appellant in technical violation of the conditions of his
    probation.    The court revoked special probation and imposed one to three
    years imprisonment.         Appellant filed a timely post-sentence motion for
    reconsideration6 and within thirty-days of the date the motion was denied by
    ____________________________________________
    5
    Gagnon v. Scarpelli, 
    411 U.S. 778
    (1973) (defendant accused of violating
    probation is entitled to two hearings: 1) a pre-revocation hearing to
    determine probable cause of a violation; and 2) a revocation hearing to
    establish violation and determine whether revocation is warranted).
    6
    The motion for reconsideration noted that Appellant secured employment,
    abstained from criminal activity, and desired to “continue working on his
    rehabilitation   with   community-based     supervision.”       Motion    for
    Reconsideration, 5/1/15, at unnumbered 2. Appellant requested that the
    trial court either suspend the imposition of total confinement, reduce the
    judgment of sentence to two months time served, or impose six months to
    three years confinement. 
    Id. Appellant did
    not challenge a discretionary
    aspect of sentence beyond the imposition of total confinement for a technical
    (Footnote Continued Next Page)
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    operation of law, he filed a notice of appeal.     The ensuing Rule 1925(b)
    statement raised thirty-one enumerated issues. The trial court entered an
    opinion that addressed several of Appellant’s claims and deemed the
    remaining issues waived.7
    First, we must determine whether the appeal is timely.      Pursuant to
    Pa.R.Crim.P. 708(E), a post-sentence motion for reconsideration does not
    toll the thirty-day appeal period after a VOP hearing.     Herein, Appellant’s
    notice of appeal, which he filed following the denial of his post-sentence
    motion by operation of law is obviously untimely. Nevertheless, we find a
    breakdown in the court machinery because the trial court inaccurately
    advised Appellant of his appeal rights. Specifically, in a post-sentence rights
    form issued at the close of the VOP hearing, the trial court informed
    Appellant that if he filed a timely post-sentence motion, the notice of appeal
    had to be filed within thirty-days of the order denying the motion.       See
    Verification of Post Sentence Rights, 4/22/15, at 1.        This is a patent
    _______________________
    (Footnote Continued)
    violation nor did he assail the trial court’s impartiality or assert that the
    condition of probation infringed upon his religious freedom.
    7
    One month after the trial court issued its Rule 1925(a) opinion, Appellant
    filed an amended concise statement that rehashed assertions that he had
    included in the prior statement and purported to assert a novel claim
    arguing that the trial court failed to craft an individualized sentence. As
    discussed in the body of this memorandum, that sentencing issue is waived
    because it was not asserted during sentencing or in the post-sentence
    motion.
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    misstatement of the law that is tantamount to a breakdown of the court’s
    operations.       See Commonwealth v. Parlante, 
    823 A.2d 927
    , 929
    (Pa.Super. 2003) (declining to quash appeal because untimely filing resulted
    from trial court's misstatement of appeal period under Pa.R.Crim.P. 907(E),
    which operated as breakdown in court's operation).          Accordingly, we treat
    the notice of appeal as timely filed and address the merits of Appellant’s
    issues that were raised before the trial court and presented in the Rule
    1925(b) statement.
    Appellant enumerates thirteen issues for our review, which we have
    condensed into seven broad complaints: (1) Whether the trial court erred in
    revoking his probation based upon a purported condition of probation that
    the   probation    agent   lacked   authority   to   enforce;   (2)   Whether   the
    Commonwealth adduced sufficient evidence to establish the probation
    violation; (3) Whether the condition of probation that restricted his ability to
    travel infringed upon his freedom to exercise religion when he attended
    services at a church that was located outside of the travel area and the
    probation agent refused to ease the condition to permit him to attend the
    services he desired; (4) Whether the trial court erred in refusing to recuse
    from the VOP hearing after exhibiting bias, prejudice, and ill will; (5)
    Whether the trial court considered facts that were outside of the record; (6)
    Whether the trial court erred in failing to hold a timely VOP hearing; and (7)
    Whether the trial court erred in imposing a sentence of total confinement for
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    a technical violation of the conditions of probation. See Appellant’s brief at
    3-6.
    The aggregate complaints that compiled Appellant’s third, fourth, and
    fifth questions are waived pursuant to Pa.R.A.P. 302(a), due his failure to
    raise them in the trial court. Specifically, Appellant failed to assert before
    the trial court any issues regarding the restriction of his freedom of religion,
    the trial court’s bias, failure to recuse, or its consideration of extra-judicial
    facts. Thus, we do not address the merits of those claims.
    Our standard of review follows. We review the trial court’s decision to
    revoke   probation   for    an   abuse   of    discretion.   Commonwealth     v.
    MacGregor, 
    912 A.2d 315
    , 317 (Pa.Super. 2006). “Generally, in reviewing
    an appeal from a judgment of sentence imposed after the revocation of
    probation, this Court's scope of review includes the validity of the hearing,
    the legality of the final sentence, and if properly raised, the discretionary
    aspects of the appellant's sentence.”         Commonwealth v. Kuykendall, 
    2 A.3d 559
    (Pa.Super. 2010); Commonwealth v. Cartrette, 
    83 A.3d 1030
    ,
    1033 n.1 (Pa.Super. 2013) (en banc) (Superior Court’s scope of review
    includes claim challenging discretionary aspects of sentence following
    revocation of probation).
    Appellant’s first preserved legal argument challenges the propriety of
    the court’s finding of a probation violation. Essentially, he argues that, since
    the travel restriction that he was found to have violated was not imposed by
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    a court, it could not be considered grounds to revoke his probation.     We
    reject Appellant’s characterization of the probation condition and his legal
    argument.
    Appellant invokes 
    MacGregor, supra
    , for the legal proposition that
    conditions of probation that are not imposed by the sentencing court cannot
    be grounds for violation.     In MacGregor, we vacated a judgment of
    sentence that was imposed after a probation revocation based on a
    condition of parole that was recited on a preprinted form applicable to
    parole rather than the sentencing court.       We first observed that “the
    legislature . . . has specifically empowered the court, not the probation
    offices and not any individual probation officers, to impose the terms of
    probation.” 
    Id. at 317.
    Then, noting that the pertinent condition had been
    “drafted by, and signed by a parole agent as the issuing authority,” we
    reasoned that the record could not sustain the trial court’s finding that the
    appellant violated the terms of his probation. 
    Id. at 318.
    However, in Commonwealth v. Elliott, 
    50 A.3d 1284
    (Pa. 2012), our
    Supreme Court addressed our holding in MacGregor and held that, while
    neither probation agencies nor probation agents may impose conditions of
    probation, “the Board and its agents may impose conditions of supervision
    that are germane to, elaborate on, or interpret any conditions of probation
    that are imposed by the trial court.” 
    Elliott, 50 A.3d at 1292
    .            It
    summarized its holding as follows: “a trial court may impose conditions of
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    probation in a generalized manner, and the Board or its agents may impose
    more specific conditions of supervision pertaining to that probation, so long
    as those supervision conditions are in furtherance of the trial court's
    conditions of probation.” 
    Id. Thus, despite
    Appellant’s protestations to the
    contrary, the Board and its agents may, in fact, fashion a specific condition
    of supervision insofar as it advances the conditions imposed by the trial
    court. 
    Id. Preliminarily, we
    observe that MacGregor is distinguishable insofar as
    that case did not involve special probation under § 6133(a). The appellant
    in that case had served his full term of confinement and was released to a
    consecutive term of probation.          He subsequently violated probation based
    upon the probation supervisor’s imposition of a condition that was listed on a
    preprinted     form   outlining   the    “Special       Conditions    of   Parole.”    See
    
    MacGregor, supra
    at 316.               Unlike the rote parole condition that was
    misapplied to the probationer in MacGregor, however, Appellant violated a
    condition that governed his special probation, a restriction that he
    specifically   acknowledged       at    the    outset    of   the    Board’s   supervision.
    Moreover, the travel restriction was not reflexively imposed by the probation
    agent.    In reality, as the trial court highlighted in rejecting Appellant’s
    position, the Pennsylvania Code expressly directed the Board to subject
    Appellant to travel restrictions in this case. Specifically, the Code provides,
    “A special probationer . . . is subject to the following conditions: (1) Be
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    under the supervision of a district office or suboffice and not leave that
    district without prior written permission of the . . . supervision staff.” 73
    Pa.Code § 65.4. Hence, MacGregor, which involves the Board’s authority to
    impose mechanical parole conditions to people on probation following a state
    sentence, is not dispositive of the case at bar.
    The facts of this case align with the relevant facts the High Court
    addressed in 
    Elliot, supra
    , which, like the present case, involved the
    Board’s supervision of a probationer serving special probation under §
    6133(a).    Instantly, the court-ordered terms of probation included the
    requirement that Appellant complete all of the conditions of special probation
    imposed by the Board in its supervisory capacity.        Those conditions of
    supervision, including the express requirement that Appellant remain within
    the supervising district, were in keeping with the trial court’s order that
    Appellant satisfy all of the responsibilities that probation entailed. Thus, as
    the High Court recognized in Elliot, the Board’s supervisory condition was
    germane to and in furtherance of the general conditions of probation
    imposed by the trial court.    See Elliott, supra at 1292.     Accordingly, no
    relief is due.   See Commonwealth v. Allshouse, 
    33 A.3d 31
    (Pa.Super.
    2011) (noting that probationer’s refusal to comply with supervisory
    conditions was basis to sustain revocation due to unwillingness to cooperate
    with the probation office).
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    Next, Appellant argues that the trial court adduced insufficient
    evidence to establish that he violated the terms of his probation.       While
    Appellant did not level this objection during the VOP proceedings, a
    challenge to the sufficiency of the evidence may be raised for the first time
    on   appeal.      See   Pa.R.Crim.P.   606(A)(7)   (defendant   may   challenge
    sufficiency of evidence by leveling challenge on appeal). Thus, we address
    the merits of this argument.
    The Commonwealth bears the burden of proving a probation violation
    by a preponderance of the evidence. Commonwealth v. Shimonvich, 
    858 A.2d 132
    , 134 (Pa.Super. 2004). We outlined the pertinent legal precepts in
    Commonwealth v. Perreault, 
    930 A.2d 553
    , 558 (Pa.Super. 2007). “The
    Commonwealth establishes a probation violation meriting revocation when it
    shows, by a preponderance of the evidence, that the probationer’s conduct
    violated the terms and conditions of his probation, and that probation has
    proven an ineffective rehabilitation tool incapable of deterring [the]
    probationer from future antisocial conduct.”
    Appellant contends that the evidence adduced during the VOP hearing
    did not demonstrate that probation was an ineffective means to achieve his
    rehabilitation.   He posits that he, in fact, has been rehabilitated for the
    underlying drug offense that is the basis of his sentence of probation. Thus,
    he opines that, since probation has ceased to serve its original purpose, he
    should not have been deemed in violation. We disagree.
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    Contrary to Appellant’s assertions, the certified record confirms both
    the trial court’s finding that Appellant violated the terms of probation and its
    determination that probation has proven ineffective.             During the VOP
    hearing, Probation Agent Anthony Mondello testified that he was the
    designated agent for sex offenders within the Allentown District.            N.T.,
    4/22/15, at 3. Since Appellant had been convicted of a sex offense in an
    unrelated case, Agent Mondello was also assigned to supervise his probation
    in the present case.         
    Id. Agent Mondello
    explained that one of the
    conditions of Appellant’s probation was that he remain within the five-county
    supervision district. 
    Id. at 3.
    On November 30, 2014, Appellant received a
    traffic citation in Carbon County, which is outside the Allentown District. 
    Id. at 4.
         Thereafter, on January 15, 2015, Appellant admitted to Agent
    Mondello that he had violated this specific condition on five separate
    occasions. 
    Id. at 4,
    5. Agent Mondello filed the notice of violation one week
    later.     During the VOP hearing, Appellant again acknowledged that he
    violated this condition of probation, although he attempted to justify the
    violations as necessary to attend church services. 
    Id. at 8-9.
    As it relates to whether the probation has proven ineffective, Appellant
    testified during the VOP hearing that he requested permission to attend
    religious services outside of the supervision district but Agent Mondello
    refused consent.      
    Id. Specifically, in
    response to the trial court’s inquiry,
    Appellant recalled, “there was a time [when] Mondello said, ‘I’m not allowing
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    you to go to religious services at all.’” 
    Id. at 9.
      In contrast to Appellant,
    Agent Mondello denied that Appellant requested to travel outside the district.
    
    Id. In fact,
    he declared, “I have no idea why he was traveling outside the
    district.” 
    Id. at 6.
    In finding that the Commonwealth established by a preponderance of
    evidence that Appellant violated the conditions of probation and that
    probation has proven ineffective, the trial court concluded, “To me it’s a very
    clear violation, [Appellant] admitted leaving [the district], he received a
    citation outside of it. . . . I believe factually the agent’s statement that he
    did not allow [Appellant] to leave, therefore, I find [a] violation.” 
    Id. at 10.
    In the Rule 1925(a) opinion, the trial court expounded,
    This Court was not satisfied with Appellant's conduct while on
    probation. His uncooperative attitude, disregard for the rules and
    conditions of supervision, and disrespect of this Court's authority
    were all indications that probation was not serving its
    rehabilitative purposes or deterring antisocial conduct. The
    Appellant is under court supervision for a set period of time as
    an alternative to incarceration. Whether or not he has been
    rehabilitated is not his judgment to make. Appellant cannot bend
    or choose which rules apply to him while under supervision.
    Trial Court Opinion, 1/19/16, at 16-17.
    Thus, reviewing the record in the light most favorable to the
    Commonwealth as the verdict winner, it is clear that Appellant disregarded
    the condition of probation that limited his travel outside of the district and
    then lied to the trial court about having entreated Agent Mondello for
    permission, only to be arbitrarily denied.    Appellant’s repeated defiance of
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    the travel constraints evince his aversion to the Board’s supervision. All of
    the foregoing evidence supports both the trial court’s determination that a
    violation existed and its finding that Appellant’s attempt to obscure his
    malfeasance demonstrates that probation has been ineffective. Accordingly,
    Appellant’s claim fails.
    Appellant’s third preserved argument asserts that the trial court erred
    in failing to hold a timely VOP hearing pursuant to Pa.R.Crim.P. 708(b)(1),
    governing the administration of VOP proceedings.       That rule provides in
    pertinent part as follows:
    (B) Whenever a defendant has been sentenced to probation or
    intermediate punishment, or placed on parole, the judge shall
    not revoke such probation, intermediate punishment, or parole
    as allowed by law unless there has been:
    (1) a hearing held as speedily as possible at which the defendant
    is present and represented by counsel; and
    (2) a finding of record that the defendant violated a condition of
    probation, intermediate punishment, or parole.
    Pa.R.Crim.P. 708(B).
    This Court has interpreted “speedily as possible” as requiring a hearing
    within a reasonable time. Commonwealth v. Christmas, 
    995 A.2d 1259
    ,
    1262 (Pa.Super. 2010). There is no presumptive reasonable period in which
    the Commonwealth must revoke probation.        
    Id. at 1263.
      Instead, courts
    must consider whether the delay was reasonable under the circumstances of
    the specific case and whether the defendant was prejudiced by the delay.
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    Id. “In evaluating
    the reasonableness of a delay, the court examines three
    factors: the length of the delay; the reasons for the delay; and the prejudice
    resulting to the defendant from the delay.” 
    Id. (quoting Commonwealth
    v.
    Woods, 
    965 A.2d 1225
    , 1227 (Pa.Super. 2009)).
    Appellant complains that Agent Mondello did not file a notice of
    violation in this case until three months after Appellant was issued a traffic
    citation outside of the Allentown District, and the VOP hearing was not
    conducted until the following month.    Thus, Appellant posits that the four
    month delay between the technical violation and the VOP hearing was not
    only unreasonable but also prejudicial to his defense.      As to the latter
    assertion, he argues that the delay “caused loss of witnesses that could have
    testified [about] the nature of his travel [to Carbon County]” and refuted the
    Agent Mondello’s testimony that Appellant failed to request permission to
    leave the area to attend religious services. Appellant’s brief at 27. Neither
    of these assertions has merit.
    First, the four-month delay is not unreasonable.      As we stated in
    Christmas, supra at 1263, “When examining the reasons for the delay, the
    court looks at the circumstances surrounding the delay to determine whether
    the Commonwealth acted with due diligence in scheduling the revocation
    hearing.” Agent Mondello explained that, while Appellant received a traffic
    violation in Carbon County on November 30, 2014, the Board did not
    discover Appellant’s violations until January 15, 2015, when Appellant
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    admitted to Agent Mondello and a member of his staff that he had traveled
    to Carbon County on approximately five occasions while under the Board’s
    supervision. Agent Mondello issued notice of the probation violation seven
    days later, and the VOP hearing occurred within one month. As the notice
    was issued within seven days of the date the Board discovered the violation,
    we reject Appellant’s claim that the delay was unreasonable.       Moreover,
    starting with the date that the Commonwealth received notice of Appellant’s
    traffic violation in Carbon County and Appellant’s acknowledged violations of
    the travel restrictions, all of the events leading to the VOP hearing one
    month later proceeded in a timely fashion.          Appellant’s assertion of
    unreasonable delay is meritless.
    Furthermore, Appellant’s claim of prejudice is specious.          While
    Appellant makes vague references to witnesses who would have testified on
    his behalf but for the purported delay, he neglected to identify the
    witnesses, assert their unavailability during the VOP hearing, or explain how
    the purported delay caused their absence. No relief is due.
    Finally, Appellant levels several challenges to the discretionary aspect
    of his sentence.   Our standard of review when an appeal challenges the
    discretionary aspect of sentencing requires that this Court conduct a four-
    part analysis to determine: (1) whether Appellant has filed a timely notice of
    appeal; (2) whether the issue was preserved at sentencing or in a motion to
    modify the sentence; (3) whether the brief contains a statement of the
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    reasons relied upon for the appeal in compliance with Pa.R.A.P 2119(f), and;
    (4) whether there is a substantial question that the sentence appealed from
    is not appropriate under the sentencing code. Commonwealth v. Bullock,
    
    948 A.2d 818
    , 825-826 (Pa. Super. 2008).
    Instantly, we have judged Appellant’s notice of appeal timely.
    However, only one of the litany of challenges that Appellant raised pursuant
    to Rule 1925(b) and Rule 2119(f) were actually asserted in the trial court,
    i.e., the trial court erred in imposing total confinement for violating a
    technical condition of probation. While Appellant raised several challenges
    for the first time in his Rule 1925(b) statement, those claims are not
    reviewable. See Steiner v. Markel, 
    968 A.2d 1253
    , 1257 (Pa. 2009)
    (including issue in Rule 1925(b) statement will not cure failure to raise issue
    below). Accordingly, we limit our review to the isolated issue regarding the
    imposition of total confinement, which we find raises a substantial question
    that the sentence is inappropriate under the sentencing code.             See
    Commonwealth v. Crump, 
    995 A.2d 1280
    , 1282 (Pa.Super. 2010) (“The
    imposition of a sentence of total confinement after the revocation of
    probation for a technical violation, and not a new criminal offense, implicates
    the ‘fundamental norms which underlie the sentencing process.’”).
    In Crump, we reiterated the following pertinent principles:
    When imposing a sentence of total confinement after a
    probation revocation, the sentencing court is to consider the
    factors set forth in 42 Pa.C.S. § 9771. Commonwealth v.
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    J-S58028-16
    Ferguson, [
    893 A.2d 735
    (Pa.Super. 2006)]. Under 42 Pa.C.S.
    § 9771(c), a court may sentence a defendant to total
    confinement subsequent to revocation of probation if any of the
    following conditions exist:
    1. the defendant has been convicted of another crime; or
    2. the conduct of the defendant indicates that it is likely
    that he will commit another crime if he is not imprisoned;
    or
    3. such a sentence is essential to vindicate the authority
    of the court.
    
    Crump, supra, at 1282-1283
    . “Sentencing is a matter vested within the
    discretion of the trial court and will not be disturbed absent a manifest abuse
    of discretion.” 
    Id. at 1282.
    The trial court does not have to engage in a
    lengthy discourse of its reasons for imposing a given sentence or specifically
    identify the statute in question.   
    Id. at 1283.
      However, “the record as a
    whole must reflect the sentencing court’s consideration of the facts of the
    crime and character of the offender.” 
    Id. Herein, the
    trial court indicated that confinement was necessary to
    vindicate its authority. It justified the sentence of confinement as follows:
    In the present case, prior to imposing sentence, this Court
    had the benefit of recommendations from the Lackawanna
    County Adult Probation and Parole Department, as well as the
    presentence investigation report from the sentence that
    Appellant violated, which were reviewed in their entirety. This
    Court considered the underlying sentence imposed, the
    guidelines ranges the Appellant was facing, and the fact that
    Appellant was given a sentence in the mitigated range, and the
    fact that Appellant did not abide by this Court's sentence.
    ....
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    As discussed throughout this opinion, Appellant has
    failed to follow the sentence imposed and blatantly
    disrespects the authority and supervision of this Court. As
    such, this Court imposed an appropriate sentence, which
    considered all facts and circumstances, the guidelines, and the
    purposes of sentencing. Therefore, since no abuse of discretion
    occurred, this Court's April 22, 2015 sentence should be
    affirmed.
    
    Id. at 32
    (emphasis added).
    In sum, the court concluded that total confinement was warranted
    pursuant to 42 Pa.C.S. § 9771(c) (2) and (3). Appellant’s course of conduct
    while he was on special probation demonstrated his disdain for the Board’s
    supervision, the trial court’s directions, and the need for total confinement.
    Appellant knowingly disregarded the conditions of special probation and
    traveled outside of the designated area without permission on several
    occasions. Indeed, but for the isolated traffic citation he received in Carbon
    County during November 2014, the trial court would never have discovered
    that Appellant was openly flaunting the conditions of special probation. Even
    after    being   discovered,   however,   Appellant   attempted   to   deflect
    accountability by alleging that Agent Mondello arbitrarily refused his request
    to attend church services outside the district. Moreover, the court observed
    that, while Appellant was serving probation, he had been discharged from
    his sex offender treatment due to his “failure to complete assignments,
    dishonesty, and manipulative behaviors,” including an attempt to circumvent
    social media restrictions by instructing a third party to open a Facebook
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    account on his behalf and post photos of Appellant at his direction.   Trial
    Court Order, 4/22/15, at 1-2.
    In light of Appellant’s disregard for the conditions governing his
    probation and his attempt to avoid responsibility for his transgressions, we
    do not disturb the trial court’s determination that confinement was
    warranted to vindicate its authority.
    Judgement of sentence affirmed.
    Judgment Entered.
    Joseph D. Seletyn, Esq.
    Prothonotary
    Date: 11/28/2016
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