State v. Francis

Anthony Francis entered an open plea to charges of possession of cocaine and cannabis and driving without a license. The plea hearing reflects that these charges were the result of a traffic stop and a search of Francis’s car during which police found one gram of cocaine and one gram of marijuana. Francis’s score sheet reflects that the lowest permissible sentence under the Criminal Punishment Code is 20.9 months in prison. Francis moved for a downward departure sentence. Following a hearing, the trial court sentenced Francis to six months in jail with credit for 140 days time served. Because…