State of Washington v. Miguel Angel Montenegro ( 2019 )

FILED
JUNE 11, 2019
In the Office of the Clerk of Court
WA State Court of Appeals, Division III
IN THE COURT OF APPEALS OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON
DIVISION THREE
STATE OF WASHINGTON, )
) No. 35910-7-III
Respondent, )
)
v. ) UNPUBLISHED OPINION
)
MIGUEL ANGEL MONTENEGRO, )
)
Appellant. )
FEARING, J. — The State convicted Miguel Montenegro of unlawful possession of
a firearm and rendering a false statement to law enforcement. On appeal, Montenegro
challenges his sentence. In a statement of additional grounds, Montenegro also
challenges his conviction for unlawful possession of a firearm. We affirm his conviction
and sentence, with some modifications to the sentence.
FACTS
On December 29, 2017, at 12:41 a.m., Kennewick Police Detectives Joshua Riley
and Juan Dorame observed a sports utility vehicle (SUV) driving in the lot of an
apartment complex with its headlights off. When the SUV turned into a city street, still
without headlights activated, the detectives stopped the vehicle. The officers identified
Sara Madrigal as the driver. A male passenger and a three-year-old child also occupied
the vehicle. Madrigal identified her passenger as Michael Nunez, while the passenger
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State v. Montenegro
provided a different name. Detectives ultimately determined the passenger’s true name
to be Miguel Montenegro, the father of the child.
Detectives arrested Miguel Montenegro for an outstanding warrant. A search
incident to arrest revealed a holster attached to the waistband of Montenegro’s pants.
Montenegro then exclaimed: “‘Hey, it’s not illegal to have a holster, is it?’” Report of
Proceedings (RP) at 76. Montenegro lacked an explanation for wearing a holster if he did
not possess a gun. Based on the presence of the holster, Detectives Joshua Riley and
Juan Dorame suspected a gun’s presence in the car.
Detective Joshua Riley questioned Sara Madrigal about whether Miguel
Montenegro had possessed a gun while in the car and if a gun was currently inside the
car. Madrigal replied that, when the detectives stopped the SUV, Montenegro pulled an
object from his waistband and placed the object near the center console on the floor of the
driver’s side. Detective Riley next explicitly asked Madrigal if the vehicle had a gun
inside, to which she replied “yes.” RP at 81.
Based on Miguel Montenegro’s holster and Sara Madrigal’s statements, Detectives
Joshua Riley and Juan Dorame asked Madrigal to remove her child from the vehicle so
law enforcement could tow the SUV and obtain a search warrant for the car. Two hours
later detectives executed the search warrant. The search revealed a loaded 9mm Ruger
handgun under the driver-side floor mat near the center console, where Madrigal
indicated the gun could be found. The gun fit the holster that Miguel Montenegro wore.
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The Kennewick Police Department sent the handgun to the Washington State
Patrol Crime Laboratory. Jeremy Phillips, a forensic scientist at the lab, could not locate
any fingerprints on the gun. Phillips test fired the gun, and the handgun worked.
PROCEDURE
The State of Washington charged Miguel Montenegro with unlawful possession of
a firearm in the first degree and making a false or misleading statement to a public
servant. Prior to trial, Montenegro stipulated that he had a prior serious felony for
purposes of the unlawful possession of a firearm charge. In order to bar evidence related
to gang affiliations, Montenegro also stipulated to membership in a criminal street gang
for purposes of community custody. Pursuant to the stipulation, trial defense counsel
stated: “there are some issues that Ms. McRoberts [the State’s attorney] and I spoke about
last week that won’t be coming in—gang affiliation and that kind of stuff.” RP at 15.
At trial, Sara Madrigal denied telling the Kennewick police detectives of the
presence of a gun in the car or that Miguel Montenegro pulled an object from his pants
and hid it on the floor of the driver’s side of the vehicle. Madrigal further testified that
she owned the gun and that she purchased the firearm at a yard sale.
A jury convicted Miguel Montenegro of both crimes. The trial court sentenced
Montenegro to 34 months’ confinement for the firearm charge and 364 days’
confinement for making a false statement charge. The sentences run concurrently. The
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court also imposed twelve months of community custody, because of Montenegro’s gang
membership, and a $200 criminal filing fee.
LAW AND ANALYSIS
On appeal, Miguel Montenegro challenges features of his sentence. He seeks to
strike the one year of community custody imposed based on membership in a gang
organization and to strike the $200 filing fee.
Gang Membership
Miguel Montenegro contends that the record fails to establish his membership in a
gang organization such that his counsel performed ineffectively when stipulating to the
gang affiliation. He further argues that the trial court should have engaged him in a
colloquy to guarantee that he knowingly and intelligently stipulated to gang membership.
We disagree.
To demonstrate ineffective assistance of counsel, a defendant must make two
showings. First, the defendant must show that defense counsel’s representation was
deficient, i.e it fell below an objective standard of reasonableness based on consideration
of all the circumstances. Second, a defendant must show that defense counsel’s
representation prejudiced the defendant. This entails showing a reasonable probability
that, except for counsel’s unprofessional errors, the result of the proceedings would have
been different. State v. McFarland, 127 Wn.2d 322, 334-35, 899 P.2d 1251 (1995).
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We engage in a strong presumption that counsel’s performance was reasonable.
State v. Kyllo, 166 Wn.2d 856, 862, 215 P.3d 177 (2009). When counsel’s conduct can
be characterized as legitimate trial strategy or tactics, the performance is not deficient.
State v. Kyllo, 166 Wn.2d at 863.
Miguel Montenegro cannot prove either prong of the analysis for ineffective
assistance of counsel. Montenegro argues counsel was deficient for stipulating to gang
membership or affiliation despite the lack of evidence of such activity in the record. As
the State responds, however, lack of evidence in the record does not mean the State could
not have presented such evidence if Montenegro refused to stipulate to being a gang
member. Montenegro never denied gang membership. We doubt defense counsel would
stipulate to membership without a factual basis for the stipulation.
In addition to failing to show ineffective performance, Miguel Montenegro also
cannot show prejudice. The State probably would have proved Montenegro to be a
member of a criminal street gang if required to do so.
Miguel Montenegro also contends that the trial court should have conducted a
colloquy before approving of the stipulation to gang membership. Nevertheless,
Montenegro forwards no law in support of this contention. This court does not review
errors alleged but not argued, briefed, or supported with citation to authority. RAP 10.3;
Valente v. Bailey, 74 Wn.2d 857, 858, 447 P.2d 589 (1968); Avellaneda v. State, 167 Wn.
App. 474, 485 n.5, 273 P.3d 477 (2012).
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Miguel Montenegro argues, without assigning any error, that the State needed to
establish his gang affiliation in order to validate the stipulation. He cites no authority in
support of this contention.
Repealed Statute
Miguel Montenegro next complains that his judgment and sentence references an
obsolete statute. He further contends that his trial counsel performed ineffectively by
failing to prevent the erroneous reference. We do not address his claim of ineffective
assistance of counsel because we remand for the substitution of the correct reference to
the sentencing statute.
Miguel Montenegro notes his judgment and sentence references RCW 9.94A.545,
a repealed statute, for his community custody condition. Former RCW 9.94A.545
(2008), repealed by LAWS OF 2008, ch. 231, § 57. The repealed statute prescribed terms
of mandatory community custody for various circumstances. The repealed statute,
however, was replaced by RCW 9.94A.701(3)(b). LAWS OF 2008, ch. 276, § 304 (last
amendment before repeal and recodification); LAWS OF 2008, ch. 231, § 7 (replacement
statutue); LAWS OF 2009, ch. 28, § 10 (first amendment after recodification). Similar to
the repealed statute, the newer statute dictates that an individual who is a gang member
and who is convicted of unlawful possession of a firearm must be sentenced to twelve
months of community custody. RCW 9.94A.701(3)(b). Thus, any mistaken reference
caused no harm to Montenegro. Montenegro alleges no prejudice.
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Miguel Montenegro complains about the wrong reference, but does not seek any
particular relief. The State concedes a scrivener’s error and asks this court to remand to
the sentencing court so the trial court can update the judgment and sentence to list the
current statute. We grant this request.
Criminal Filing Fee
Finally, Miguel Montenegro assigns error to the imposition of a $200 criminal
filing fee as a financial obligation despite his indigency. Pursuant to State v. Ramirez,
191 Wn.2d 732, 426 P.3d 714 (2018), we agree. The State agrees that Montenegro
should not be required to pay the fee.
Statement of Additional Grounds
In a statement of additional grounds, Miguel Montenegro argues that the jury
could not have convicted him of unlawful possession of a firearm because he lacked
dominion and control over the weapon. In essence, Montenegro contends insufficient
evidence supported his conviction for unlawful possession of a firearm.
Possession may be actual or constructive. State v. Raleigh, 157 Wn. App. 728,
737, 238 P.3d 1211 (2010). Constructive possession is established by showing that the
defendant had dominion and control over the firearm. State v. Murphy, 98 Wn. App. 42,
46, 988 P.2d 1018 (1999). Dominion and control means that an item may be reduced to
actual possession immediately. State v. Jones, 146 Wn.2d 328, 333, 45 P.3d 1062(2002). Mere proximity to the firearm is insufficient. State v. Raleigh, 157 Wn. App. at
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737. Knowledge of the presence of contraband, without more, is also insufficient to
show dominion and control. State v. Chouinard, 169 Wn. App. 895, 899, 282 P.3d 117(2012). We look to the totality of the circumstances to determine if the jury could
reasonably infer dominion and control. State v. Alvarez, 105 Wn. App. 215, 221, 19 P.3d
485 (2001).
Miguel Montenegro emphasizes that Sara Madrigal made statements to the
detectives that contradicted her statements at trial, but he states that none of the alleged
statements were produced or used at trial. We disagree. The State questioned one
detective in depth about his conversations with Madrigal.
Miguel Montenegro argues that Sara Madrigal owns the car, in which law
enforcement found the handgun. He also highlights that, at trial, she also claimed
ownership of the gun. But, the jury need not have accepted the trial testimony of
Madrigal as the truth. The jury needed to make a credibility determination regarding the
veracity of Madrigal’s statement to police on the night of the arrest or her testimony at
trial. The jury also heard evidence of the gun fitting the holster worn by Montenegro and
his opportunity to secrete the gun as law enforcement officers stopped the vehicle, in
which he rode.
CONCLUSION
We remand for the sentencing court to substitute the citation of RCW
9.94A.701(3)(b) for the citation of former RCW 9.94A.545 with reference to the
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mandatory community custody imposition. We also remand to the sentencing court to
strike the $200 criminal filing fee obligation. Otherwise, we affirm the conviction and
sentence of Miguel Montenegro.
A majority of the panel has determined this opinion will not be printed in the
Washington Appellate Reports, but it will be filed for public record pursuant to RCW
2.06.040.
Fearini,f
WE CONCUR:
Lawrence-Berrey, CJ.
2_, e__.B
Pennell, J.
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