PEOPLE OF MI V THOMAS WAYNE RUSSELL
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STATE OF MICHIGAN
COURT OF APPEALS
PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN,
UNPUBLISHED
April 20, 2010
Plaintiff-Appellee,
v
No. 291109
Oakland Circuit Court
LC No. 2004-199751-FH
THOMAS WAYNE RUSSELL,
Defendant-Appellant.
Before: JANSEN, P.J., and CAVANAGH and K. F. KELLY, JJ.
PER CURIAM.
Following a prior appeal,1 defendant was resentenced to concurrent prison terms of 3 to
20 years for child sexually abusive activity, MCL 750.145c(2), 3 to 20 years for use of the
internet to communicate with another to commit child sexually abusive activity, MCL
750.145d(2)(f), and one to four years for each of three counts of use of the internet to
communicate with another to distribute obscene matter to a minor, MCL 750.145d(2)(c). He
appeals as of right. We affirm. This appeal has been decided without oral argument pursuant to
MCR 7.214(E).
Defendant argues that resentencing is required because the trial court improperly relied
on the same conduct to score 20 points for prior record variable (PRV) 7 (subsequent or
concurrent felony convictions), MCL 777.57, and 25 points for offense variable (OV) 13
(continuing pattern of criminal behavior), MCL 777.43. We disagree.
The interpretation and application of the sentencing guidelines is reviewed de novo as a
question of law. People v Cannon, 481 Mich 152, 156; 749 NW2d 257 (2008). This court has
held that the same conduct may be counted under PRV 7 and an offense variable when “[e]ach
variable is directed toward a different purpose.” People v Jarvi, 216 Mich App 161, 163-164;
1
This Court originally affirmed defendant’s convictions and sentences in People v Russell,
unpublished opinion per curiam of the Court of Appeals, issued February 8, 2007 (Docket No.
264597). The Supreme Court subsequently vacated this Court’s decision in part and remanded
for reconsideration of the scoring of offense variable (OV) 10. People v Russell, 482 Mich 995;
755 NW2d 663 (2008). On remand, this Court held that OV 10 was improperly scored, vacated
defendant’s sentences, and remanded for resentencing. People v Russell (On Remand), 281 Mich
App 610, 616; 760 NW2d 841 (2008).
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548 NW2d 676 (1996). PRV 7 “is concerned with the commission of a number of felonies at the
same time,” id. at 164, whereas OV 13 is concerned with whether the offense is part of a pattern
of felonious criminal activity occurring over a period of time. While defendant’s assessment of
points for OV 13 stemmed from crimes committed in the course of pursuing a sexual liaison with
a perceived minor rather than from any previous unrelated offenses, three or more concurrent
offenses are sufficient for purposes of scoring OV 13 at 25 points. See People v Harmon, 248
Mich App 522, 532; 640 NW2d 314 (2001). Further, in People v Bemer, 286 Mich App 26, 35;
777 NW2d 464 (2009), this Court recently held that with regard to OV 13, “a trial court may
properly consider conduct that was already considered when scoring the defendant’s PRVs,”
unless the instructions provide otherwise. Because the instructions do not prohibit use of the
same conduct when scoring PRV 7 and OV 13, the trial court did not err in using the same
conduct to score both variables. See MCL 777.43(2); MCL 777.57(2).
To the extent that defendant challenges the assessment of points under OV 13 without
regard to the scoring of PRV 7, review is limited to plain error affecting defendant’s substantial
rights because defendant did not object on that basis below. See People v Kimble, 470 Mich 305,
311-312; 684 NW2d 669 (2004). The record discloses that defendant’s conduct took place
during a month’s time. Further, the verdict form shows that the jury convicted defendant of three
counts of use of the internet to communicate with another to distribute obscene matter to a minor
for incidents that occurred on November 16, 17, and 23, 2004. Thus, defendant clearly engaged
in at least three individual acts rather than a single act and, accordingly, defendant’s 25-point
score for OV 13 was not plain error.
Affirmed.
/s/ Kathleen Jansen
/s/ Mark J. Cavanagh
/s/ Kirsten Frank Kelly
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