GUIDELINES AND COMMENTARY - Minnesota

MINNESOTA SENTENCING GUIDELINES AND COMMENTARY

AUGUST 1

2019

These Sentencing Guidelines are effective August 1, 2019, and determine the presumptive sentences for felony offenses committed on or after the effective date. The Guidelines remain in effect until the next publication.

e MINN SOTA

SENTENCING GUIDELINES COMMISSION

658 Cedar Street, Suite G-58 Saint Paul, MN 55155 Voice: (651) 296-0144 Website: Email: sentencing.guidelines@state.mn.us Persons with hearing or speech disabilities may contact us

via their preferred Telecommunications Relay Service.

COMMISSION MEMBERS

Kelly Lyn Mitchell, Chair and Public Member Heidi Schellhas, Vice-Chair and Minnesota Court of Appeals Judge Christopher Dietzen, Associate Supreme Court Justice (Retired),

Designee of the Chief Justice of the Minnesota Supreme Court Valerie Estrada, Corrections Unit Supervisor, Hennepin County Community Corrections

& Rehabilitation Abby Honold, Public Member Tonja Honsey, Public Member Caroline Lennon, First Judicial District Court Judge Cathryn Middlebrook, Chief Appellate Public Defender Salim Omari, Saint Paul Police Sergeant Peter Orput, Washington County Attorney Paul Schnell, Commissioner of Corrections

COMMISSION STAFF

Nathaniel J. Reitz, Executive Director Nicole Jasperson, Research Analyst Kathleen Madland, Research Analyst Intermediate Linda McBrayer, Management Analyst 4 Jill Payne, Senior Research Analysis Specialist Anne Wall, Senior Research Analysis Specialist

This information will be made available in an alternative format upon request.

Table of Contents

1. Purpose and Definitions......................................................................................................................................1 A. Statement of Purpose and Principles .......................................................................................................1 B. Definitions...........................................................................................................................................................2

2. Determining Presumptive Sentences .............................................................................................................7 A. Offense Severity................................................................................................................................................8 1. General Rule .................................................................................................................................................8 2. Theft and Damage to Property; Foreseeable Risk of Bodily Harm ..........................................8 3. First-Degree Murder..................................................................................................................................8 4. Unranked Offenses ....................................................................................................................................8 5. Attempts, Conspiracies, and Other Sentence Modifiers..............................................................9 B. Criminal History ............................................................................................................................................. 10 1. Prior Felonies............................................................................................................................................. 11 2. Custody Status at the Time of the Offense ................................................................................... 18 3. Prior Gross Misdemeanors and Misdemeanors........................................................................... 24 4. Prior Juvenile Adjudications ................................................................................................................ 28 5. Convictions from Jurisdictions other than Minnesota............................................................... 30 6. Felony Enhancement Due to Prior Misdemeanor or Gross Misd. Convictions ................ 32 7. Determining Offense Levels for Prior Offenses............................................................................ 34 C. Presumptive Sentence................................................................................................................................. 35 1. Finding the Presumptive Sentence ................................................................................................... 35 2. Presumptive Sentence Durations that Exceed the Statutory Maximum Sentence ......... 35 3. Finding the Presumptive Sentence for Certain Offenses ......................................................... 35 D. Departures from the Guidelines .............................................................................................................. 40 1. Departures in General............................................................................................................................ 40 2. Factors that should not be used as Reasons for Departure.................................................... 43 3. Factors that may be used as Reasons for Departure ................................................................. 44

E. Mandatory Sentences.................................................................................................................................. 50 1. In General ................................................................................................................................................... 50 2. Specific Statutory Provisions ............................................................................................................... 51 3. Conditional Release ................................................................................................................................ 52 4. Mandatory Life Sentences.................................................................................................................... 53

F. Concurrent/Consecutive Sentences ....................................................................................................... 56 1. Presumptive Consecutive Sentences ............................................................................................... 59 2. Permissive Consecutive Sentences ................................................................................................... 61 3. Crime Committed for the Benefit of a Gang................................................................................. 65 4. Pre-Guidelines Cases.............................................................................................................................. 65

G. Convictions for Attempts, Conspiracies, and Other Sentence Modifiers................................. 66 1. In General ................................................................................................................................................... 66 2. Attempt or Conspiracy .......................................................................................................................... 66 3. Solicitation of Juveniles or Mentally Impaired Persons ............................................................ 66 4. Conspiracy to Commit a Controlled Substance Offense .......................................................... 66 5. Attempt or Conspiracy to Commit Criminal Sexual Conduct 1st or 2nd Degree ........... 66 6. Taking Responsibility for Criminal Acts........................................................................................... 67 7. Offense Committed in Furtherance of Terrorism ........................................................................ 67 8. Criminal Sexual Predatory Conduct.................................................................................................. 67 9. Solicitation or Promotion of Prostitution; Sex Trafficking........................................................ 67 10. Offense Committed for the Benefit of a Gang ........................................................................... 68 11. Felony Assault Motivated by Bias.................................................................................................... 68 12. Criminal Vehicular Homicide (Qualified Prior Conviction) ..................................................... 68 13. Attempt or Conspiracy to Commit First-Degree Murder ....................................................... 69 14. Second or Subsequent Severe Violent Offense ......................................................................... 69

3. Related Policies.................................................................................................................................................... 71 A. Establishing Conditions of Stayed Sentences..................................................................................... 71 1. Method of Granting Stayed Sentences ........................................................................................... 71

2. Conditions of Stayed Sentences ........................................................................................................ 72 B. Revocation of Stayed Sentences ............................................................................................................. 74 C. Jail Credit .......................................................................................................................................................... 75

1. In General ................................................................................................................................................... 75 2. Applying Jail Credit................................................................................................................................. 75 D. Juveniles............................................................................................................................................................ 77 E. Presentence Mental or Physical Examinations for Sex Offenders............................................... 77 F. Military Veterans ........................................................................................................................................... 78 G. Modifications .................................................................................................................................................. 78 1. Policy Modifications ............................................................................................................................... 78 2. Clarifications of Existing Policy........................................................................................................... 78 4.A. Sentencing Guidelines Grid ............................................................................................................................ 79 4.B. Sex Offender Grid............................................................................................................................................... 81 4.C. Drug Offender Grid............................................................................................................................................ 83 5.A. Offense Severity Reference Table ................................................................................................................ 85 5.B. Severity Level by Statutory Citation...........................................................................................................102 6. Offenses Eligible for Permissive Consecutive Sentences ...................................................................124 7. Theft Offense List..............................................................................................................................................129 8. Severe Violent Offense List ...........................................................................................................................131

Appendix 1. Mandatory and Presumptive Sentences Reference Table ......................................132 Appendix 2. Dangerous Weapons Offense Reference Table ..........................................................134 Appendix 3. Presumptive Sentence Durations that Exceed the Statutory Maximum Sentence

Reference Table ...........................................................................................................................................135 Appendix 4. Targeted Misdemeanor List................................................................................................136

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