RESTITUTION ORDERED WAS GREATER THAN THAT AGREED TO IN THE PLEA AGREEMENT; ALTHOUGH THE ISSUE WAS NOT PRESERVED, THE APPEAL WAS CONSIDERED IN THE INTEREST OF JUSTICE; RESTITUTION VACATED AND MATTER REMITTED (THIRD DEPT).

The Third Department, vacating the restitution award in the interest of justice, determine the restitution ordered was not that agreed to in the plea agreement:

Defendant contends that Supreme Court improperly enhanced the sentence by ordering him to pay restitution in an amount greater than what was agreed to under the plea agreement. The record supports his claim, and the People concede that the restitution award should be reduced. Although defendant failed to preserve his claim by requesting a hearing or objecting to the amount of restitution at sentencing, we deem it appropriate to take corrective action in the interest of justice … . As defendant was not sentenced in accordance with the plea agreement, the matter must be remitted to Supreme Court to provide defendant with the opportunity to either accept the sentence with the enhanced restitution award or withdraw his guilty plea … . In addition, as Supreme Court failed to set forth the time and manner of payment of the amount of restitution in the restitution order, this omission must also be addressed upon remittal … . People v Gravell, 2020 NY Slip Op 04344, Third Dept 7-30-20