State v. Ratcliff

Defendant, charged with one count of forgery' and one count of issuing worthless checks totaling $1,037.27, pled guilty to the latter charge. Pursuant to a plea bargain, the state dismissed the forgery count and agreed to a sentence of no more than five years.

The trial court imposed a sentence of five years at hard labor, suspended execution, and placed defendant on supervised probation for five years subject to conditions including restitution and successful completion of a drug treatment program.

Defendant now appeals the sentence as being excessive.

When a court imposes a sentence within the…