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ALTHOUGH THE JUDGE DID NOT COMMIT TO CONCURRENT SENTENCES, THE PLEA AGREEMENT CONTEMPLATED CONCURRENT SENTENCES AND THE JUDGE’S STATEMENTS CREATED CONFUSION ON THE ISSUE; IN THE INTEREST OF JUSTICE, AND TAKING INTO ACCOUNT THE CONTENTS OF THE PRESENTENCE REPORT, THE CONSECUTIVE SENTENCES WERE VACATED AND CONCURRENT SENTENCES WERE IMPOSED (THIRD DEPT).

The Third Department, directing that defendant’s sentences be served concurrently, not consecutively, determined that the plea agreement contemplated the imposition of concurrent sentences and the judge’s confusing and ambiguous language in the plea colloquy warranted modification of the sentence:

We recognize that the imposition of consecutive sentences was authorized under Penal Law § 70.25 (2) … , and that County Court did not make any express sentencing commitment to defendant. However, the plea agreement contemplated the imposition of concurrent sentences, County Court stated during the plea proceedings that the maximum term of imprisonment defendant faced on a class C violent felony was 15 years, and the court used confusing and ambiguous language during the plea colloquy regarding the possibility of consecutive sentencing … . In light of the confusion, defendant seeks vacatur of his plea or modification of the sentence to reflect a concurrent sentence. On this record, and after accounting for the circumstances set forth in the PSR, we find that the imposition of concurrent sentences is appropriate and modify the judgment accordingly … . People v Bonville, 2026 NY Slip Op 00039, Third Dept 1-8-25

Practice Point: Here it is possible the defendant entered the plea agreement with the understanding that the sentences would run concurrently. Although the judge did not commit to concurrent sentences, the judge’s statements on the issue were confusing and ambiguous. The Third Department, in the interest of justice, after reviewing the presentence report, imposed concurrent sentences.

 

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