Phu

People v. Phu

Good Law
101 Cal. Rptr. 3d 601·179 Cal. App. 4th 280·2009 Cal. App. LEXIS 1833
Court of Appeal of CaliforniaNovember 17, 2009C060511California1,799 words

Opinion

Opinion

Nicholson, J.

After pleading no contest to conspiracy to sell marijuana (Pen. Code, § 182, subd. (a)(1); Health & Saf. Code, § 11360), defendant Van L. Phu was sentenced to two years in state prison. Following a restitution hearing, defendant was ordered to pay $24,752.35 to the Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD).

Defendant appeals, claiming the trial court abused its discretion in setting the amount of restitution. We conclude there was a rational basis for the trial court’s order, although we will adjust the amount of restitution to $24,704.91 to conform to the evidence presented at the restitution hearing.

PROCEDURAL AND FACTUAL BACKGROUND

In May 2007, an illegal diversion of electrical power was discovered at a house for which defendant was the utilities subscriber. The discovery arose out of a police operation involving 21 residences being investigated for marijuana cultivation. A surveillance of the house was initiated, which entailed driving by “numerous times to check to see if there was any change in the status of the house.” No removal of processed marijuana was observed during the surveillance.

A search of the house four months later uncovered a marijuana…

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