People v. Gorg CA4/3

FACTS AND PROCEDURAL HISTORY

Gorg entered a bank in Irvine on October 4, 2022, and tried to deposit a $200,000 money order (the money order). The branch manager refused to process the money order due to its irregular appearance. Among other things, the money order stated it was issued by the “Department of the U.S. Treasury,” but the United States Department of the Treasury does not issue money orders. The police came and arrested Gorg after he refused to leave the bank. The prosecution filed an information charging Gorg with three counts arising from the above incident: second degree robbery under sections 459 and 460, subdivision (b) (count one), forgery under section 476 (count two), and forgery under section 475, subdivision (a) (count three). A jury found him guilty on all three counts. In September 2023, Gorg was sentenced

1 All further undesignated statutory references are to the Penal Code.

2 to the low term of 16 months for count one, and his sentences for count two and count three were stayed under section 654.2 On appeal, Gorg challenges his convictions for count two and count three. First, he argues one of these convictions must be reversed under section 954,…