v.
Peter J. King, Jr.
2020 WI App 66 COURT OF APPEALS OF WISCONSIN PUBLISHED OPINION
Case No.: 2019AP1642-CR
†Petition for Review filed
Complete Title of Case:
STATE OF WISCONSIN, PLAINTIFF-RESPONDENT, V. PETER J. KING, JR., DEFENDANT-APPELLANT.†
Opinion Filed: September 17, 2020 Submitted on Briefs: May 20, 2020
JUDGES: Fitzpatrick, P.J., Blanchard, and Nashold, JJ.
Appellant ATTORNEYS: On behalf of the defendant-appellant, the cause was submitted on the briefs of Joseph N. Ehmann and Mark R. Thompson, assistant state public defenders of Madison.
Respondent ATTORNEYS: On behalf of the plaintiff-respondent, the cause was submitted on the brief of Sonya Bice Levinson, assistant attorney general, and Joshua L. Kaul, attorney general.
2020 WI App 66
COURT OF APPEALS DECISION NOTICE DATED AND FILED This opinion is subject to further editing. If published, the official version will appear in the bound volume of the Official Reports. September 17, 2020 A party may file with the Supreme Court a Sheila T. Reiff petition to review an adverse decision by the Clerk of Court of Appeals Court of Appeals. See WIS. STAT. § 808.10 and RULE 809.62.
Appeal No. 2019AP1642-CR Cir. Ct. No. 2005CF498 STATE OF WISCONSIN IN COURT OF APPEALS STATE OF WISCONSIN, PLAINTIFF-RESPONDENT, V. PETER J. KING, JR., DEFENDANT-APPELLANT. APPEAL from a judgment and an order of the circuit court for Sauk County: WENDY J.N. KLICKO, Judge. Affirmed. Before Fitzpatrick, P.J., Blanchard, and Nashold, JJ. ¶1 FITZPATRICK, P.J. Peter J. King, Jr., was convicted in the Sauk County Circuit Court of using a computer to facilitate a child sex crime and child enticement. The circuit court imposed a bifurcated imprisonment sentence on the count of using a computer to facilitate a child sex crime. The circuit court also No. 2019AP1642-CR imposed conditions of extended supervision which restricted King’s access to the internet, and King’s extended supervision was twice revoked for violating those conditions. ¶2 On the child enticement count, King received a probation disposition of ten years, which began after completion of King’s sentence for the use of a computer to facilitate a child sex crime. King’s conditions of probation imposed by the circuit court included restrictions on his access to the internet. King’s probation was revoked for, among other reasons, violating those court-ordered conditions that restricted his access to the internet. After revocation, the circuit court imposed a bifurcated imprisonment sentence for the child enticement count. When King is released to extended supervision, he will be subject to court-ordered conditions of extended supervision that restrict his access to the internet. Those court-ordered extended supervision conditions are a subject of this appeal. ¶3 King contends, based on the U.S. Supreme Court’s opinion in Packingham v. North Carolina, 137 S. Ct. 1730 (2017), that the court-ordered extended supervision conditions restricting his access to the internet are overly broad and, as a result, his First Amendment rights to freedom of speech and freedom of association are improperly infringed. King also argues that the circuit court erred in denying his motion for resentencing and a reduction in his imprisonment sentence on the child enticement conviction because the Court’s opinion in Packingham is a “new factor” that was overlooked at sentencing. ¶4 For the reasons set forth below, we conclude that the extended supervision conditions imposed by the circuit court that will restrict King’s access to the internet are not overly broad and do not improperly infringe King’s First Amendment rights to freedom of speech and freedom of association. We also No. 2019AP1642-CR
[*67]conclude that the Court’s opinion in Packingham is not a new factor requiring resentencing on the child enticement count. Accordingly, we affirm the rulings of the circuit court. BACKGROUND ¶5 The following material facts are not disputed for purposes of this appeal. ¶6 In 2005, King communicated online with a person King believed to be a fifteen-year-old girl. That person was actually a Sauk Prairie police officer. King sent the “girl” sexually explicit messages online and made plans with the “girl” to meet her, and her fourteen-year-old friend, at a motel for purposes of having sexual intercourse with both minors. After King checked into the motel, King was arrested. Items in King’s possession at the time of his arrest included liquor, condoms, and a camera. King was charged with counts of using a computer to facilitate a child sex crime and child enticement. See WIS. STAT. §§ 948.075(1) and 948.07(1) (2003-04).1 ¶7 A jury found King guilty on both counts. In 2007, the circuit court imposed a bifurcated imprisonment sentence of four years of confinement and four years of extended supervision on the use of a computer to facilitate a child sex crime count. As one condition of King’s extended supervision, the court ordered that King was to “[h]ave no use or access to a computer [or cell phone] that has internet access, either … at [King’s] residence or place of employment [and] any No. 2019AP1642-CR
[*68]computer access is to be reported to [King’s Department of Corrections (DOC) supervising] agent.” See WIS. STAT. § 973.01(5).2 The circuit court granted an exception to those conditions in that King was permitted “[i]nternet access at a job center” or at a “place of business [at] which [King] wishes to work” to apply for employment, but only with permission of his DOC agent. The circuit court imposed a consecutive disposition of ten years of probation, sentence withheld, on the child enticement conviction. ¶8 King challenged his convictions on appeal. See State v. King, No. 2008AP2673-CR, unpublished slip op. (WI App Nov. [12], 2009). In that appeal, King argued that the circuit court erred by admitting evidence at trial of his prior conviction for sexual assault of a thirteen-year-old girl and that police found child pornography when they searched his residence during the investigation of those charges. King’s appeal was unsuccessful, and the rulings of the circuit court were affirmed. ¶9 King completed his initial confinement and, in December 2009, was released to extended supervision. In October 2011, King’s extended supervision was revoked because, according to a DOC report to the circuit court, King possessed “a Facebook account,” “computers,” “internet services,” and “a blackberry phone” during extended supervision. According to the report, King also viewed “sexual[ly] explicit websites” while on extended supervision. After No. 2019AP1642-CR
[*69]serving a revocation sentence in prison, King was again released to extended supervision in May 2012. ¶10 In September 2013, King’s extended supervision was revoked a second time, this time for, according to a DOC report to the circuit court, “being in possession of two computers, accessing the internet, possessing sexually explicit pictures, having a profile on sugardaddyforme.com, … possess[ing] a cellphone that had … internet capabilities and g[iving] his [DOC] agent false information.” After serving his second revocation sentence in prison, King was again released to extended supervision, which he completed in July 2016. ¶11 Immediately thereafter, King began his ten-year term of probation for the child enticement conviction. King’s access to the internet was restricted as a court-ordered condition of his probation in terms substantially similar to the previously-mentioned extended supervision conditions restricting his internet access. King again failed to comply with conditions of supervision, and his probation was revoked less than eighteen months after starting his probation term.[3] ¶12 The revocation report prepared for the circuit court by the DOC stated that, between July 2016 and July 2017, King violated his probation conditions through these pertinent actions, all without notifying his DOC agent: having an active Facebook account using a false name; accessing the internet regularly; and possessing a computer and cellphone. The report also stated that King lied to his probation agent about his social media access and, when taken No. 2019AP1642-CR
[*70]into custody, refused to disclose to his probation agent the username and password for his computer. It was later determined that the computer was used by King for, among other things, communicating with a woman to whom King sent money and with whom King had established a “relationship” without DOC agent approval. At the probation revocation sentencing hearing, the State advised the circuit court that, after a forensic review of King’s computer used during King’s probation term, it was determined that King searched the internet using terms that included “teen.” Also, pornography was found on the computer, but the State could not determine whether the persons in the pornographic images were under the age of eighteen. ¶13 At the May 2018 sentencing hearing, the circuit court imposed a bifurcated sentence of four years of initial confinement and four years of extended supervision. The court also imposed the following extended supervision condition: “no use or access to a computer [or cell phone] that has internet access, either be it at residence or place of employment [and] any computer access is to be reported to agent.” ¶14 King filed a postconviction motion in the circuit court. Relying on Packingham, King argued that the circuit court must vacate the condition of his extended supervision restricting his access to the internet on the grounds that it violates his rights to freedom of speech and freedom of association under the First Amendment. King also requested that the circuit court, under its inherent authority and based upon the existence of a new factor, modify his sentence to two years of initial confinement and one year of extended supervision. King argued that the “new factor” was the Supreme Court’s opinion in Packingham.
[*71]No. 2019AP1642-CR
¶15 Following a hearing on King’s motion, the circuit court denied King’s request to vacate the condition of extended supervision that restricted his access to the internet. In an August 2019 Decision and Order, and based on input from the parties, the court modified the extended supervision condition regarding King’s access to the internet to provide as follows: 1. The defendant may possess device(s) capable of accessing the internet only with the express permission of the defendant’s agent. [2]. The defendant may access the internet only to the extent and manner as approved by the defendant’s agent. However, the agent shall not withhold permission for the defendant’s access through public devices for purposes of obtaining employment or performing any legitimate government functions such as filing taxes or renewing [a] driver’s license or license plates, etc. [3]. If the possession of devices or access to the internet is approved, the defendant shall provide his agent with the name or number of every electronic mail account he uses, the internet address of every website he creates or maintains, every internet user name he uses, and the name and address of every public or private internet profile he creates, uses, or maintains. Those extended supervision conditions are a subject of this appeal.[4] ¶16 In addition, the circuit court rejected King’s request to modify his sentence. ¶17 King appeals.
[*72]No. 2019AP1642-CR
DISCUSSION ¶18 King argues that the circuit court erred in imposing the internet conditions because the conditions violate his rights to freedom of speech and freedom of association under the First Amendment. King also argues that the circuit court erred in denying his sentence modification request to lessen his period of imprisonment based on a purported new factor. We address each argument in turn. I. The Internet Conditions Are Not Unconstitutional. ¶19 We begin our analysis of the internet conditions by discussing governing principles and our standard of review. A. Governing Principles and Standard of Review. ¶20 “Sentencing courts have wide discretion and may impose any conditions of probation or supervision that appear to be reasonable and appropriate.” State v. Stewart, 2006 WI App 67, ¶11, 291 Wis. 2d 480, 713 N.W.2d 165; see also WIS. STAT. §§ 973.01(5) and 973.09(1)(a).5 Also of importance to our analysis is that “[c]convicted felons do not enjoy the same degree of liberty as those individuals who have not been convicted of a crime.” Stewart, 291 Wis. 2d 480, ¶12.
[*73]No. 2019AP1642-CR No. 2019AP1642-CR
[*74]The intermediate scrutiny test allows the government to impose reasonable, content-neutral restrictions on speech that are “narrowly tailored to serve a significant governmental interest.” Packingham, 137 S. Ct. at 1736 (quoting McCullen v. Coakley, 573 U.S. 464, 486 (2014) (quotations omitted)); Ward v. Rock Against Racism, 491 U.S. 781, 791 (1989) (quoted source omitted). A condition need not be the least restrictive means of advancing the government’s interests in order to satisfy the “narrowly tailored” requirement of intermediate scrutiny. See Turner Broad. Sys., Inc. v. F.C.C., 512 U.S. 622, 662 (1994). Rather, the standard is met so long as the restriction “promotes a substantial government interest that would be achieved less effectively absent the regulation.” Id. (quoting Ward, 491 U.S. at 799) (quotations omitted). ¶24 When a defendant seeks to have conditions of his or her supervision changed, the defendant bears the burden of showing cause for the modification. See State v. Hays, 173 Wis. 2d 439, 448, 496 N.W.2d 645 (Ct. App. 1992) (stating that the proponent bears the burden “to establish by a clear preponderance of the evidence that there is cause to modify the terms and conditions of [supervision]”). Further, our analysis takes into account the particular circumstances presented to the circuit court. Our supreme court instructs that, in addressing a “challenge to the constitutionality” of an extended supervision condition: It is important to highlight the fact that … we analyze the constitutionality of an individualized supervision condition that applies only to [the particular defendant] and was imposed by a circuit court pursuant to its authority under WIS. STAT. § 973.01(5) after the circuit court made an individualized determination that the condition was necessary based on the facts in this case. Rowan, 341 Wis. 2d 281, ¶9.
[*75]No. 2019AP1642-CR
¶25 When reviewing a challenge to conditions of extended supervision, we generally “review such conditions under the erroneous exercise of discretion standard to determine their validity and reasonableness measured by how well they serve their objectives: rehabilitation and protection of the state and community interest.” Stewart, 291 Wis. 2d 480, ¶11. However, the determination of whether a condition of supervision violates a defendant’s constitutional right is a question of law which we review de novo. Id., ¶12. B. Preliminary Areas. ¶26 We now consider two preliminary areas which inform our review of the constitutionality of the internet conditions. First, we discuss the specifics of the internet conditions and, second, we discuss the scope of the Supreme Court’s opinion in Packingham. [1]. The Internet Conditions. ¶27 We find it useful to our analysis to break down the internet conditions into essential elements. ¶28 Paragraph 1 of the internet conditions states that King “may possess device(s) capable of accessing the internet.” But, King may do so “only with the express permission of” King’s DOC agent. ¶29 Paragraph 2 states that King “may access the internet.” However, he may do so “only to the extent and manner as approved by” King’s DOC agent. That paragraph then specifies that the agent “shall not withhold permission” for King to access the internet if King does so through “public devices” and for the purpose of “obtaining employment or performing any legitimate government No. 2019AP1642-CR
[*76]functions such as filing taxes or renewing [a] driver’s license or license plates, etc.” ¶30 Paragraph 3 states that, if King is given permission by his DOC agent to possess devices capable of accessing the internet and King accesses the internet with the approval of the DOC agent, then King must provide the agent with “the name or number of every electronic mail account he uses, the internet address of every website he creates or maintains, every internet user name he uses, and the name and address of every public or private internet profile he creates, uses, or maintains.”7 ¶31 To summarize, the internet conditions do not bar King from possessing devices capable of accessing the internet, and King may access the internet. To do either, King must have the prior approval of his DOC agent, and the agent is restricted to some degree, as noted in paragraph 2 of the conditions, in his or her ability to withhold approval. [2]. Scope of Packingham. ¶32 Relying on Packingham, King argues that, because the internet conditions restrict his access to the internet, it then follows that the conditions are unconstitutionally overbroad. Because Packingham is a predicate to King’s arguments, we now discuss the Court’s holding in that case and whether the holding governs the question of the constitutionality of the internet conditions.
[*77]No. 2019AP1642-CR No. 2019AP1642-CR No. 2019AP1642-CR No. 2019AP1642-CR No. 2019AP1642-CR No. 2019AP1642-CR No. 2019AP1642-CR
[*78][*79][*80][*81][*82][*83]1. Objections to Portions of the Internet Conditions. ¶46 King objects to paragraphs 1 and 2 of the internet conditions. As noted, paragraph 1 does not bar King from possessing a device capable of accessing the internet. Rather, the paragraph’s one restriction is that King must obtain permission from his DOC agent before possessing a device capable of accessing the internet. ¶47 Similarly, paragraph 2 of the internet conditions does not bar King from accessing the internet. That paragraph states that King may do so, but such access must be consistent with the permission of King’s DOC agent. That paragraph restricts the authority of the DOC agent in that the agent must give King permission to access the internet for King to “obtain[] employment” and to “perform[] any legitimate government functions.”10 ¶48 King does not object to the reporting requirements in paragraph 3 of the internet conditions (except to the extent that paragraph references the requirements for permission from his DOC agent mentioned in paragraphs 1 and neither party objects to our consideration of the constitutionality of the circuit court’s internet conditions, which were modified by the circuit court after input from the parties.
[*84]No. 2019AP1642-CR
2). Indeed, when asked by the circuit court to set forth those internet access restrictions that King believes are reasonable and constitutional under these circumstances, King provided to the court the language in paragraph 3 regarding notifications which must be given to his DOC agent upon his access to the internet. That language mirrors the reporting requirements imposed upon all persons, such as King, who are on the sex offender registry. See WIS. STAT. § 301.45(1g) and (2)(a)6m. ¶49 To summarize, King contends that the internet conditions violate his right to freedom of speech because he needs prior permission of his DOC agent to: (a) possess a device that can access the internet; and (b) access the internet. [2]. The Internet Conditions Are Not a “Blanket Ban.” ¶50 In Packingham, the statute at issue in essence barred registered sex offenders from using websites that may be accessed by children. See Packingham, 137 S. Ct. at 1733-34. In an attempt to establish that the internet conditions here come within the purview of Packingham, King stakes his argument on the premise that the internet conditions are, as labeled in briefing in this court, a “blanket ban,” “near-blanket ban,” “essentially … a complete ban,” and a “total [i]nternet ban.” For the reasons that follow, we reject King’s argument that the internet conditions are a “blanket ban” on King’s internet access while on extended supervision. ¶51 First, King fails to support his assertion that the internet conditions act as a “blanket ban” with any reasoning or facts. In his brief-in-chief, King briefly acknowledges that his DOC agent has the authority to approve his internet use and possession of devices to access the internet. However, King’s only argument about DOC supervision of his internet use and possession of devices to No. 2019AP1642-CR
[*85]access the internet is in his reply brief. There, in one conclusory sentence, King asserts that the internet conditions “leave too much undirected discretion to Mr. King’s agent.” But, King gives no reasoning, and points to nothing in the record, to support that assertion. We will not abandon our neutrality in an attempt to develop arguments for parties. Industrial Risk Insurers v. American Eng’g Testing, Inc., 2009 WI App 62, ¶25, 318 Wis. 2d 148, 769 N.W.2d 82.11 ¶52 Second, in the context of the constitutionality of internet restrictions on supervisees and the holding in Packingham, federal courts have recognized the obvious: requiring a supervising agent’s approval of internet use is not a “ban” on access to the internet. See, e.g., Leone, 813 F. App’x at 669 (stating that a condition of release “merely impose[d] conditions on Leone’s [i]nternet use, not an absolute ban”); Perrin, 926 F.3d at 1050 (“For one, the condition was not ‘a complete ban on [i]nternet access’ because it permitted the defendant ‘to access the [i]nternet as long as he obtain[ed] permission from the probation office.’ Thus, the condition was ‘treated as merely a partial deprivation of [the defendant]’s interest in having unfettered access to the [i]nternet.’” (some alterations in the original) (citations omitted) (quoted source omitted)); see also Browder, 866 F.3d at 511 n.26 (“We need not dwell on the implications of No. 2019AP1642-CR No. 2019AP1642-CR No. 2019AP1642-CR No. 2019AP1642-CR No. 2019AP1642-CR No. 2019AP1642-CR No. 2019AP1642-CR No. 2019AP1642-CR No. 2019AP1642-CR No. 2019AP1642-CR
[*86][*87][*88][*89][*90][*91][*92][*93][*94][*95]II. The Circuit Court Properly Denied King’s Request for Sentence Modification. ¶76 King argues that the circuit court erred in denying his request that the total period of his post-revocation imprisonment be reduced based upon a new factor. King contends that he has demonstrated the existence of the new factor and asks this court to remand this matter to the circuit court to determine whether the purported new factor justifies sentence modification. We begin by setting forth governing legal principles and our standard of review. A. Governing Principles and Standard of Review. ¶77 A circuit court has inherent authority to modify a defendant’s criminal sentence based upon a showing by the defendant of a “new factor.” State v. Harbor, 2011 WI 28, ¶35, 333 Wis. 2d 53, 797 N.W.2d 828. To prevail, the defendant must show the following: (1) a “new factor” exists; and (2) the “new factor” justifies sentence modification. Id., ¶¶33, 37-38. ¶78 A “new factor” is “a fact or set of facts highly relevant to the imposition of sentence, but not known to the trial judge at the time of original sentencing, either because it was not then in existence or because, even though it was then in existence, it was unknowingly overlooked by all of the parties.” Id., ¶¶40, 52 (quoting Rosado v. State, 70 Wis. 2d 280, 288, 234 N.W.2d 69 (1975)). “Whether a fact or set of facts presented by the defendant constitutes a ‘new factor’ is a question of law,” which we review de novo. Id., ¶33. The determination of whether the defendant has shown that the new factor justifies sentence modification “is committed to the discretion of the circuit court, and we review such decisions for an erroneous exercise of discretion.” Id., ¶34. A court No. 2019AP1642-CR
[*96]need not address both aspects of the new factor inquiry if a defendant does not make a sufficient showing on either one. Id., ¶38. B. King Is Not Entitled to Sentence Modification. ¶79 King argues that the Supreme Court’s opinion in Packingham is a “new factor” because the holding in Packingham is “uniquely applicable” to him. Also, King argues that Packingham is highly relevant to the imposition of his sentence because the circuit court’s sentence “conflicted with the holding announced in Packingham.” ¶80 For the reasons explained already, Packingham is not controlling in these circumstances. Also, as discussed, the observation in Packingham that accessing the internet may be important in daily life was considered by the circuit court in its sentencing rationale. Thus, the holding in Packingham was not overlooked by the circuit court in the imposition of King’s sentence and is not a new factor. ¶81 Accordingly, we conclude the circuit court did not err by denying King’s request for modification of his sentence. CONCLUSION ¶82 For the foregoing reasons, the judgment and order of the circuit court are affirmed. By the Court.—Judgment and order affirmed.
[*97]