PEOPLE OF MI V TIMMY ALLEN ROSENBERG
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STATE OF MICHIGAN
COURT OF APPEALS
PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN,
UNPUBLISHED
November 21, 2006
Plaintiff-Appellee,
v
No. 262673
Barry Circuit Court
LC No. 02-100200-FH
TIMMY ALLEN ROSENBERG,
Defendant-Appellant.
Before: O’Connell, P.J., and White and Markey, JJ.
PER CURIAM.
On remand, defendant was sentenced as a fourth habitual offender, MCL 769.12, to 92 to
240 months’ imprisonment for delivery of a controlled substance less than 50 grams, MCL
333.7401(2)(a)(iv). Defendant appeals by right. We affirm in part and vacate in part.
After a jury convicted defendant, the trial court, relying on defendant’s 31 prior
misdemeanor convictions, his two acquittals and a pending charge for criminal sexual conduct,
and the threat his continuous criminal behavior posed to the community, sentenced defendant to
180 to 360 months’ imprisonment. Defendant’s sentence was a departure of more than double
the recommended minimum sentence range under the legislative guidelines. On appeal, a panel
of this Court affirmed defendant’s conviction but vacated his sentence of 180 to 360 months’
imprisonment and remanded for resentencing. People v Rosenburg, unpublished opinion per
curiam of the Court of Appeals, issued January 25, 2005 (Docket No. 251930). In addition to
finding that the trial court incorrectly scored two offense variables, the panel concluded that
while the factors the trial court relied on to depart from the minimum recommended sentence
range were objective and verifiable, the factors did not justify the extent of the trial court’s
departure from the minimum sentence range. Id. On remand, the trial court sentenced defendant
to 92 to 240 months’ imprisonment, a departure double the recommended minimum sentence
range of 10 to 46 months under the recalculated legislative guidelines.
Defendant first claims that his sentence was disproportionate to the seriousness of his
conduct and his criminal record. Defendant asserts that because he delivered less than five
percent of the amount punishable by MCL 333.7401(2)(a)(iv), and because he already faced a
significant guidelines augmentation due to his status as an habitual offender, a more
proportionate sentence would have fallen within or just over the maximum of the recommended
minimum sentence range. We review a departure from the recommended sentence range under
the legislative guidelines to determine if the sentence imposed is proportionate to the seriousness
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of the crime and the defendant’s criminal history. People v Babcock, 469 Mich 247, 262, 264;
666 NW2d 231 (2003). A trial court abuses its discretion when it imposes a sentence that falls
outside the principled range of outcomes. Id. at 269.
The principle of proportionality requires that the sentence the trial court imposes be
proportional to the seriousness of the circumstances surrounding the offense and the offender.
People v Milbourn, 435 Mich 630, 636; 461 NW2d 1 (1990). For almost 20 years, from 1983
until his arrest in 2002, defendant continuously engaged in assaultive, violent, intimidating, and
destructive behavior. He was convicted of 31 misdemeanors, and he was charged three times
with criminal sexual conduct. In addition, there was evidence in the record of at least thirteen
other instances where defendant engaged in criminal behavior. Defendant’s behavior during
those 20 years indicates that he harbored no respect for the law or any willingness to follow the
law. The trial court recognized that defendant’s unwillingness to alter his behavior reflected on
his ability to be rehabilitated and that he posed an ongoing danger to his community. Even
though the sentence the trial court imposed was double the recommended maximum/minimum
under the legislative guidelines, it was proportionate to the seriousness of the offense and
offender and was within the principled range of outcomes. Babcock, supra at 269. Thus, the
trial court did not abuse its discretion.
Defendant next claims on appeal that the $25,000 fine imposed by the trial court was
excessive and violated the principle of proportionality. Specifically, defendant asserts that the
fine was excessive and disproportionate because he was fined the maximum amount allowed by
MCL 333.7401(2)(a)(iv) for delivering one of the least amounts necessary to violate the statute.
Defendant did not appeal the amount of this fine in his prior appeal and reconsideration of the
amount of the fine was outside the scope of remand. Thus, defendant has waived this issue.
People v Jones, 394 Mich 434, 435-436; 231 NW2d 649 (1975). Accordingly, there is no error
for us to review. If we were to reach the issue we would find no error. People v Carter, 462
Mich 206, 215-216; 612 NW2d 144 (2000). We affirm the $25,000 fine.
Defendant also claims that the trial court erred in ordering him to pay $500 in court costs.
Defendant failed to object to the imposition of court costs. Appellee agrees. Accordingly, we
vacate the trial court’s order requiring defendant to pay $500 in court costs.
Defendant finally claims on appeal that, pursuant to Blakely v Washington, 542 US 296;
124 S Ct 2531; 159 L Ed 2d 403 (2004), Michigan’s sentencing scheme violates his Sixth
Amendment right to have a jury make factual findings. Our Supreme Court has definitively
ruled to the contrary, holding that Blakely does not affect Michigan’s indeterminate sentencing
scheme. People v Drohan, 475 Mich 140, 164; 715 NW2d 778 (2006); People v Claypool, 470
Mich 715, 730-731 n 14; 684 NW2d 278 (2004).
We affirm in part and vacate in part.
/s/ Peter D. O’Connell
/s/ Helene N. White
/s/ Jane E. Markey
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