Com. v. Bradshaw, S. ( 2022 )


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  • J-A05045-22
    NON-PRECEDENTIAL DECISION - SEE SUPERIOR COURT I.O.P. 65.37
    COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA               :   IN THE SUPERIOR COURT OF
    :        PENNSYLVANIA
    :
    v.                             :
    :
    :
    STEPHEN BRADSHAW                           :
    :
    Appellant               :   No. 813 MDA 2021
    Appeal from the Judgment of Sentence Entered December 23, 2019
    In the Court of Common Pleas of Lycoming County Criminal Division at
    No(s): CP-41-CR-0000004-2019
    BEFORE:      OLSON, J., KUNSELMAN, J., and STEVENS, P.J.E.*
    MEMORANDUM BY STEVENS, P.J.E.:                 FILED: MARCH 16, 2022
    Appellant Stephen Bradshaw appeals from the judgment of sentence
    entered in the Court of Common Pleas of Lycoming County on December 23,
    2019, following his guilty plea.1 We affirm.
    ____________________________________________
    * Former Justice specially assigned to the Superior Court.
    1   The trial court docket indicates that Appellant was sentenced on December
    23, 2019. Appellant filed a timely post-sentence motion on January 2, 2020,
    which was denied on April 7, 2020. On October 16, 2020, Appellant filed a
    timely pro se PCRA petition. Counsel was appointed, and an amended petition
    was filed on March 29, 2021. On June 2, 2021, the trial court granted
    Appellant’s PCRA petition and reinstated Appellant’s direct appeal rights nunc
    pro tunc. Counsel for Appellant filed a notice of appeal on June 23, 2021, in
    which counsel erroneously had stated that the appeal was from the “Order
    entered on May 25, 2021,” granting nunc pro tunc relief, rather than from the
    December 23, 2021, judgment of sentence.
    By order of July 13, 2021, Appellant was directed to show cause as to why
    the appeal should not be quashed as Appellant is not an aggrieved party.
    Counsel for Appellant filed a motion to amend the notice of appeal in the trial
    court on July 14, 2021. The trial court granted the motion on July 20, 2021,
    and the amended notice of appeal was forwarded to this Court. The amended
    (Footnote Continued Next Page)
    J-A05045-22
    The trial court set forth the relevant facts and procedural history herein
    as follows:
    By way of background, Appellant was charged with twenty
    counts related to the possession and delivery of controlled
    substances and the criminal use of communication facilities.1 On
    October 4, 2019, Appellant entered an open guilty plea to four
    counts of delivery of heroin, two counts of delivery of cocaine, and
    four counts of criminal use of a communication facility, arising out
    of incidents that occurred on November 14, 2018; November 20,
    2018; December 3, 2018; and December 10, 2018.2 Appellant
    admitted that on November 14, 2018 and November 20, 2018 he
    delivered heroin to a third party and utilized a cellular telephone
    to arrange the transactions. Appellant also admitted that on
    December 3, 2018 and December 10, 2018, he delivered heroin
    and cocaine to a third person utilizing a cellular telephone to
    arrange the transactions.
    On December 23, 2019, the court sentenced Appellant to
    undergo incarceration in a state correctional institution for an
    aggregate term of eight (8) to twenty (20) years, which consisted
    of two (2) to four (4) years for each delivery of heroin to be served
    consecutively to each other.3
    Appellant filed a motion for reconsideration of sentence. He
    alleged that his sentence was excessive because: the
    Commonwealth never made an offer; the court failed to provide
    sufficient weight to Appellant's good behavior while incarcerated;
    despite Appellant's minimization of his mental health and
    substance use disorders, Appellant actually suffers from such; the
    court did not accord sufficient weight to the fact that Appellant
    was never convicted of any crimes of violence or of a sexual
    nature; and Appellant pled guilty and did not proceed to trial. In
    ____________________________________________
    notice of appeal states that the appeal is “from the Judgment of Sentence on
    December 23, 2019, whereby his direct appeal rights were reinstated nunc
    pro tunc by order entered on May 25, 2021 [sic].” See Pa.R.A.P. 1701(b)(1)
    (The trial court may take such action to preserve the status quo including
    “correct formal errors in papers relating to the matter”). Counsel filed a copy
    of the amended notice of appeal with this Court on July 22, 2021, and a
    response to the show-cause order on July 23, 2021, documenting the steps
    taken in the trial court.
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    J-A05045-22
    an Opinion and Order entered on April 7, 2020, the court denied
    Appellant's motion for reconsideration of sentence.
    Although Appellant wished to appeal his sentence, no appeal
    was filed within thirty (30) days due to a breakdown in
    communication between Appellant and his plea counsel due at
    least in part to the pandemic. Through PCRA proceedings,
    however, the court reinstated Appellant's direct appeal rights nunc
    pro tunc in an order dated May 25, 2021 and docketed on June 2,
    2021.
    ____
    1 35 P.S.A. § 780-113(a)(16),(30); 18 Pa. C.S.A. § 7512.
    2 In a prior Opinion and Order, the court incorrectly stated that
    the dates were November 3, 10, 14 and 20.
    3 On each of the remaining counts of delivery of cocaine and
    criminal use of a communication facility, the court imposed a
    concurrent sentence of one (1) to three (3) years’ incarceration.
    Trial Court’s Opinion in Support of Order in Compliance with Rule 1925(a) of
    the Rules of Appellate Procedure, filed September 21, 2021, at 1-2.
    Following the reinstatement of his direct appeal rights, Appellant filed a
    timely notice of appeal on June 23, 2021. On June 29, 2021, the trial court
    entered its Order directing Appellant to file a concise statement of errors
    complained of on appeal, and Appellant filed his Concise Statement of Matters
    Complained of on Appeal on July 20, 2021. The trial court filed its Opinion
    pursuant to Pa.R.A.P. 1925(a) on September 21, 2021.
    In his brief, Appellant presents the following Statement of Questions
    Involved:
    1. Whether the consecutive application of the sentences
    renders the total sentence excessive?
    2. Whether court erred in considering the national impact of
    drug addiction and overdose when imposing sentence,
    and speculating that individuals may have died as a
    result of defendant's conduct?
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    3. Whether [the] court erred in concluding that [Appellant]
    needs to be warehoused and that he is incapable of
    rehabilitation, essentially disregarding the mitigating
    factors in the case?
    Brief for Appellant at 4.2
    It is well-settled that a guilty plea amounts to a waiver of all non-
    jurisdictional defects and defenses; therefore, a defendant generally may
    appeal only matters concerning the jurisdiction of the court, the validity of the
    guilty plea, and the legality of the sentence. Commonwealth v. Morrison,
    
    173 A.3d 286
    , 290 (Pa.Super. 2017).              However, when a defendant pleads
    guilty without an agreement as to the sentence, he or she may challenge the
    discretionary aspects of the sentence imposed. Commonwealth v. Brown,
    
    240 A.3d 970
    , 972 (Pa.Super. 2020).
    The aforementioned issues implicate the discretionary aspects of
    Appellant’s sentence. See Commonwealth v. Moury, 
    992 A.2d 162
    , 169
    (Pa.Super. 2010) (stating challenge to imposition of consecutive sentences for
    multiple counts of same crime and failure to consider mitigating factors
    implicate the discretionary aspects of one’s sentence). Notwithstanding, such
    a challenge is not appealable as of right. See 42 Pa.C.S.A. § 9781(b). Instead,
    an appellant challenging the sentencing court's discretion must
    invoke this Court's jurisdiction by (1) filing a timely notice of
    appeal; (2) properly preserving the issue at sentencing or in a
    motion to reconsider and modify the sentence; (3) complying with
    ____________________________________________
    2In a letter filed with this Court’s Prothonotary on November 29, 2021, the
    Commonwealth indicated that it would not be filing an appellate brief.
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    Pa.R.A.P. 2119(f), which requires a separate section of the brief
    setting forth “a concise statement of the reasons relied upon for
    allowance of appeal with respect to the discretionary aspects of a
    sentence[;]” and (4) presenting a substantial question that the
    sentence appealed from is not appropriate under the Sentencing
    Code[.]
    Commonwealth v. Akhmedov, 
    216 A.3d 307
    , 328 (Pa.Super. 2019)
    (citation omitted). Following satisfaction of all four elements, this Court then
    reviews the underlying discretionary aspects of sentencing issues pursuant to
    an abuse of discretion standard. See 
    id., at 328-29
    .
    Herein, Appellant has satisfied the first three prongs by filing a timely
    notice of appeal nunc pro tunc, filing a post-sentence motion seeking
    reconsideration of his sentence, and including within his brief a statement
    pursuant to Rule 2119(f).    See Brief for Appellant at 10-11. As such, we
    review Appellant’s Rule 2119(f) statement to ascertain whether he has
    presented a substantial question that evinces an incongruency between the
    sentence he received and the Sentencing Code as written.
    Appellant argues in his Rule 2119(f) statement that his appeal presents
    a substantial question because the consecutive nature of his sentences
    resulted in an unreasonable, excessive minimum and maximum sentence for
    nonviolent offenses. Appellant further contends the trial court considered an
    impermissible factor, specifically expressing wonder about the number of drug
    overdoses in 2017 nationwide, and failed to properly consider significant
    mitigating factors in Appellant’s personal background when imposing its
    sentence. Brief for Appellant at 10-11.
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    While “[a]n allegation that the sentencing court failed to consider
    mitigating factors generally does not necessarily raise a substantial question,”
    see Moury, supra at 171 (citation omitted), “[a] claim that a sentencing
    court ... sentenced a defendant without taking into account his ... character
    and background ... raises a substantial question that the sentence is
    inappropriate under the Sentencing Code.” Commonwealth v. Luketic, 
    162 A.3d 1149
    , 1162 (Pa.Super. 2017); see also Commonwealth v. Gonzalez,
    
    109 A.3d 711
    , 731 n.38 (Pa.Super. 2015) (“[A] substantial question exists
    when the defendant asserts both a claim of excessiveness and the trial court's
    failure to take mitigating circumstances into account.”).
    In light of the foregoing, we conclude that Appellant's challenge to the
    imposition of his consecutive sentences as unduly excessive, together with his
    claim that the court failed to consider his rehabilitative needs and mitigating
    factors and considered inappropriate factors upon fashioning its sentence,
    raises a substantial question. Thus, we proceed to address the merits of his
    sentencing claims.     Commonwealth v. Swope, 
    123 A.3d 333
    , 340
    (Pa.Super. 2015). Our standard of review of a sentencing claim is as follows:
    Sentencing is a matter vested in the sound discretion of the
    sentencing judge, and a sentence will not be disturbed on appeal
    absent a manifest abuse of discretion. In this context, an abuse
    of discretion is not shown merely by an error in judgment. Rather,
    the appellant must establish, by reference to the record, that the
    sentencing court ignored or misapplied the law, exercised its
    judgment for reasons of partiality, prejudice, bias or ill will, or
    arrived at a manifestly unreasonable decision.
    Commonwealth v. Shugars, 
    895 A.2d 1270
    , 1275 (Pa.Super. 2006).
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    Notably, the trial court had the benefit of a pre-sentence investigation
    (PSI) report prior to sentencing. “[W]here the trial court is informed by a pre-
    sentence report, it is presumed that the court is aware of all appropriate
    sentencing factors and considerations, and that where the court has been so
    informed, its discretion should not be disturbed.”        Commonwealth v.
    Ventura, 
    975 A.2d 1128
    , 1135 (Pa.Super. 2009) (citation omitted).            In
    addition, we can assume the court was aware of the relevant information
    regarding Appellant’s character and weighed those considerations along with
    mitigating statutory factors. Commonwealth v. Hill, 
    210 A.3d 1104
    , 1117
    (Pa.Super. 2019) (internal quotation marks and citation omitted).
    Moreover, Appellant’s sentence was within the standard range of the
    Sentencing Guidelines. Such sentences are considered appropriate under the
    Sentencing Code. See      Moury, supra at 171.        If both conditions exist
    concurrently, a PSI report and standard range sentence cannot be considered
    excessive or unreasonable absent some indicia clearly evidencing the
    contrary. See id.
    When considering the claims Appellant raises herein, the trial court
    stated the following:
    Appellant first contends that the sentence of the court was
    excessive due to the consecutive application of the sentences. The
    court cannot agree.
    A sentencing judge has discretion to impose consecutive
    sentences. 42 Pa. C.S.A. §9721(a)(in determining the sentence to
    be imposed the court shall consider and select one or more of the
    listed sentencing alternatives, and may impose them
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    J-A05045-22
    consecutively or concurrently.); Commonwealth v. Brown, 
    249 A.3d 1206
    , 1212 (Pa. Super. 2021)( the court has the discretion
    to impose its sentences concurrently or consecutively);
    Commonwealth v. Zirkle, 
    107 A.3d 127
    , 133 (Pa. Super.
    2014)(imposition of consecutive rather than concurrent sentences
    lies within the discretion of the sentencing court). The appellate
    court will not disturb consecutive sentences unless the aggregate
    sentence is “grossly disparate” to the defendant's conduct, or
    viscerally appears as patently unreasonable. Brown, supra.
    “[W]here a sentence is within the standard range of the
    guidelines, Pennsylvania law views the sentence as appropriate
    under the Sentencing Code.” Commonwealth v. Griffin, 
    65 A.3d 932
    , 938 (Pa.Super. 2013). Furthermore, a defendant is not
    entitled to a volume discount for his crimes by having all
    sentences run concurrently. Zirkle, 107 A.3d at 134;
    Commonwealth v. Haag, 
    665 A.2d 1212
    , 1214 (Pa.Super. 1995).
    The court reviewed a Pre-Sentence Investigation (PSI)
    report, a risk/needs assessment, a supervision report from prior
    supervision, a social assessment prepared at the request of
    defense counsel, and a report from the Lycoming County Prison.
    The court also heard arguments from counsel and a statement
    from Appellant.
    Appellant’s prior criminal record consisted of five separate
    prior convictions for the manufacture, delivery or possession with
    intent to deliver (PWID) a controlled substance, ungraded
    felonies; a conviction for identity theft, a felony of the third
    degree; a conviction for possession of a controlled substance, an
    ungraded misdemeanor; and a conviction for possession of a small
    amount of marijuana, an ungraded misdemeanor. Appellant was
    sentenced to probation, county prison and state sentences for his
    prior convictions. Sentencing Transcript, 12/23/2019, at 3.
    Nothing deterred Appellant's criminal activities or changed his
    ways. He just served his sentences and then continued to traffic
    controlled substances. Most, if not all, of Appellant's crime free
    periods were explainable by his incarceration. Id. at 9. Moreover,
    Appellant admitted that he did not need the money; he simply
    wanted to “live comfortably.” Id. at 4.
    Although Appellant does not consider himself an addict, he
    admitted that he has used drugs for 28 years and he has no desire
    to stop. Sentencing Transcript, at 4, 6.
    Appellant's Prior Record Score (PRS) was five but if the
    guidelines did not cap the point-score at five,4 his true score would
    have been 12. The Offense Gravity Score was six for the deliveries
    of heroin; it was five for the remaining offenses. Therefore, the
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    J-A05045-22
    standard minimum sentencing guideline ranges were 21 to 27
    months for each delivery of heroin, and 12 to 18 months for each
    of the remaining offenses.
    The court imposed consecutive sentences of 2 to 5 years’
    incarceration for each delivery of heroin, but imposed concurrent
    sentences of 1 to 3 years’ incarceration for delivery of cocaine,
    PWID cocaine, and the four counts of criminal use of a
    communications facility. All of these sentences were in the middle
    to bottom end of the standard guideline
    ranges.
    The court did not impose consecutive sentences due to
    partiality, bias or ill will. Rather, given Appellant's prior criminal
    history and opportunities for rehabilitation, it was now time to
    protect the public. Enough was enough. Under the facts and
    circumstances of this case, a lengthy prison sentence was
    appropriate.
    As the court noted in its sentencing order:
    [Appellant] wrote a relatively heartfelt and very
    articulate letter to the [c]ourt setting forth his regret for
    what he did, his insight into the nature of his behaviors,
    and how he has learned from his mistakes. The [c]ourt
    can only question, however, the ability of [Appellant] to
    make changes. [Appellant] has spent a significant
    amount of time in jail prior to this, and the [c]ourt is left
    wanting as to why [Appellant] did not reach such
    conclusions about his behaviors and his future when he
    spent years in prison previously. He had available
    programming, and had certainly enough time to think
    about where he did not want to be.
    [Appellant] does present a significant danger to
    the public. For over half of his life he has been involved
    in distributing controlled substances. Despite escalating
    sanctions[,] [Appellant] has not changed his behaviors.
    [Appellant] admitted that he became addicted to the
    lifestyle, and did not sell controlled substances for any
    other reasons but to be more comfortable with his
    financial situation. He indicated he did not need the
    money, but wanted it.
    The cost to the community as a result of
    [Appellant's] conduct cannot be accurately measured.
    To say that the community, families, mothers, children,
    siblings, and even innocent individuals is significant
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    would be an understatement. In 2017 alone[,] over
    70,000 people died of drug overdoses in the United
    States. The [c]ourt can only wonder how many
    individuals, if any, died as a result of [Appellant's]
    conduct. The [c]ourt can only wonder, but does not
    really have to guess how many families and individuals
    were destroyed as a result of [Appellant's] conduct.
    The impact of the offense on the community is
    significant and cannot really be put in words. Protecting
    the public under these circumstances is a very high
    need. [Appellant's] rehabilitation is questionable. While
    [Appellant] speaks very well in connection with his
    intentions, his conduct over the past twenty (20) years
    belies such intentions.
    This is a sad day. While many [c]ourts and
    [j]udges hesitate in being entirely candid, this [c]ourt
    tries to be as candid as possible. [Appellant] needs to be
    warehoused. Society needs to be protected. [Appellant]
    appears to this [c]ourt to be institutionalized and
    incapable of changing his behaviors despite his insight.
    In weighing all relevant factors, the [c]ourt has to place
    the most emphasis on protecting the public.
    Yes, drug dealing will be prevalent and continue to
    exist, and yes others may take [Appellant's] place, but
    this does not mean that [Appellant] should not be
    accountable, or that the public should not be protected
    from [Appellant's] conduct. In the past nineteen (19)
    years [Appellant] has had eight (8) drug[-]related
    convictions, and five (5) delivery or possession with
    intent to deliver convictions. The [c]ourt takes no
    pleasure in warehousing [Appellant]. The [c]ourt takes
    no pleasure in impacting his family's life. The [c]ourt
    takes no pleasure in seeing another young man become
    a statistic versus an exception. Yet, as [Appellant]
    properly noted, these were his choices. He did have
    choices available to him[,] and he chose this route. As
    defense counsel aptly notes, and unfortunately notes,
    this is the price of doing business and [Appellant] was
    well aware of such.[3]
    ____________________________________________
    3 See Sentencing Order, filed December 30, 2019, at 2-3
    (unnumbered).
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    For the foregoing reasons, the court does not believe that the
    imposition of some consecutive sentences in this case resulted in
    an excessive sentence.
    Appellant next contends that the court erred in considering
    the national impact of drug addiction and overdose when imposing
    sentence, and speculating that individuals may have died due to
    Appellant's conduct. Again, the court cannot agree.
    The court's statements in this regard were in response to the
    minimization of Appellant's drug crimes. The writer of the social
    assessment indicated that Appellant did not want to further the
    problem of addiction in our society by continuing to sell drugs
    because he knows the damage that they cause, but a lengthy state
    sentence would only warehouse Appellant and perpetuate the
    vicious cycle prominent in his life. Furthermore, the writer
    indicated whether Appellant continues to sell drugs or not, the
    replacement effect will occur and someone else will take his place.
    Sentencing Transcript, at 5. Additionally, during the sentencing
    hearing and in the motion for reconsideration of sentence, defense
    counsel argued that a lengthy state sentence was not appropriate
    because Appellant did not have a history of violent crimes or
    sexual offenses; he just had a history of repeat drug offenses.
    Sentencing Transcript, at 13-14; Motion for Reconsideration,
    ¶6(d).
    While delivery of heroin is not a “crime of violence” as defined
    in 42 Pa. C.S.A. §9714(g), it is a crime which negatively affects
    society greatly and carries a risk of death. At the reconsideration
    hearing, both defense counsel and the district attorney
    acknowledged that fact. Defense counsel stated, “Yes this is a
    problem. This is a horrible problem. Yes many people do die from
    opiate use.” Reconsideration Transcript, 3/16/2020, at 6. The
    district attorney stated:
    This is an individual that has prior drug delivery
    convictions, he had a prior protracted state sentence,
    none of this was a deterrence leading up to the most
    recent set of charges for which he's subsequently been
    sentenced. The only thing devoid in this young man's
    record with respect to drug crimes is a drug delivery
    resulting in death, and that's fortunate for both him and
    society.
    Id. at 8. Moreover, appellate case law recognizes the dangers
    inherent with the delivery of opiods [sic]. As the Superior Court
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    J-A05045-22
    noted in Minn. Fire and Cas. Co. v. Greenfield, 
    805 A.2d 622
    ,
    (Pa.Super. 2002), aff'd 
    855 A.2d 854
     (Pa. 2004):
    [I]t is certain that frequently harm will occur to the
    buyer if one sells heroin. Not only is it criminalized
    because of the great risk of harm, but in this day and
    age, everyone realizes the danger of heroin use.
    
    805 A.2d at 624
    ; see also Commonwealth v. Burton, 
    234 A.3d 824
    , 833 (Pa.Super. 2020); Commonwealth v. Kakhankham, 
    132 A.3d 986
    , 995-96 (Pa. Super. 2015). By repeatedly selling heroin,
    Appellant was playing Russian roulette with the lives of his
    purchasers. See Minn. Fire and Cas. Co. v. Greenfield, 
    855 A.2d 854
    , 870-71 (Pa. 2004)(Castille, J., concurring)(the use of
    illegally-purchased heroin is a modern form of Russian roulette).
    No one died from his current sales because Appellant sold to
    undercover officers who never were going to use the substances,
    but that does not diminish the seriousness of Appellant's offenses
    or the pervasive nature of Appellant's drug dealing since
    approximately 1999.
    Appellant asserts that the court erred in determining that
    Appellant needs to be warehoused and he is incapable of
    rehabilitation. He also asserts that the court erred in discounting
    the effect of Appellant's mental health problems. The court found
    that Appellant needs to be warehoused and his rehabilitative
    needs should be accorded little weight compared to the protection
    of the public because this was the sixth time that Appellant had
    been convicted of delivery of controlled substances, and he
    engaged in four separate deliveries of heroin. Although Appellant
    wrote a heartfelt letter setting forth his regret for what he did, his
    insight into the nature of his behaviors, and how he has learned
    from his mistakes, his words rang hollow in light of his behaviors
    and failure to change during his previous sentences of probation,
    county incarceration and state incarceration. Actions speak louder
    than words. Through his actions, Appellant has shown that he
    cannot or will not stop dealing drugs.
    Although Appellant has used controlled substances for 28
    years, he has no desire to stop and does not consider himself an
    addict. Appellant acknowledged that he is like a moth drawn to a
    flame. What he fails to recognize is that as long as he continues
    to use controlled substances and have contact with the individuals
    providing those substances to him, he likely will continue to be
    drawn to his lifestyle of dealing drugs.
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    With respect to his mental health problems, the defense
    provided little or no information regarding those problems. There
    was a reference in the social assessment that as long as Appellant
    can remember he has been on disability, he had vision and hearing
    issues, and a mental health diagnosis but he doesn't know what
    that diagnosis was. Sentencing Transcript, 12/23/2019, at 4.
    Appellant also made statements at the reconsideration hearing
    about his rough home life growing up with drug-addicted relatives
    in Philadelphia and how due to various difficulties (including
    abuse), at one point he wanted to take himself off this planet.
    Reconsideration Transcript, 3/16/2020, at 10. From these
    statements, one could infer that at least at one point in his life
    Appellant had issues with depression and thoughts of suicide.
    However, without knowing Appellant's mental health diagnoses or
    the treatment he needs, if any, the court could not find that
    Appellant's mental health problems outweighed the need to
    protect the public in this case.
    ____
    
    4204 Pa. Code §303.4
    (a)(3)("Offenders who do not fall into the
    REVOC or RFEL categories shall be classified in a Point-Score
    Category. The Prior Record Score shall be the sum of the points
    accrued based on previous convictions and adjudications, up to a
    maximum of five points.").
    Trial Court Opinion in Support of Order in Compliance with Rule 1925(a) of
    the Rules of Appellate Procedure, filed 9/21/21, at 4-10.
    Following our review, we find the record unambiguously reflects the
    trial court's knowledge and consideration at sentencing of the information it
    highlights in its Rule 1925(a) Opinion. Appellant’s arguments to the contrary,
    the consecutive nature of Appellant’s sentence did not result in an
    unreasonable application of the Sentencing Guidelines.
    The trial court had the benefit of a PSI and numerous other assessments
    when fashioning its sentence. While it opined as to the number of drug related
    deaths to which Appellant may have contributed, this musing was merely a
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    small part of the trial court’s detailed explanation for the sentence it imposed
    and was in response to the statements made in the social assessment which
    Appellant’s counsel had provided.
    In addition, the trial court considered Appellant's PSI during sentencing,
    and noted, on the record, Appellant’s extensive history of drug-related
    convictions. See N.T. Sentencing, 2/23/19, at 2-7. Clearly, the court was
    cognizant of Appellant’s troubled background as is evident by both its
    statements on the record at the sentencing hearing and its possession of a
    PSI. However, it properly determined that Appellant’s admitted refusal to stop
    using and selling drugs outweighed any mitigating factors for purposes of
    sentencing.
    Mindful that sentencing is a matter vested in the sound discretion of the
    trial court, and finding no showing of manifest abuse, we conclude the trial
    court did not abuse its discretion in rendering Appellant’s sentence. See
    Moury, 
    992 A.2d at
    169–70. As such, we find the trial court was within its
    discretion to impose the consecutive sentence of eight (8) to twenty (20)
    years’ incarceration.
    Judgment of Sentence Affirmed.
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    Judgment Entered.
    Joseph D. Seletyn, Esq.
    Prothonotary
    Date: 03/16/2022
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