Opinion
2022-00361 SCI 3807/17
01-20-2022
The People of the State of New York, Respondent, v. Kevin Avila, Defendant-Appellant. Appeal No. 15116 Case No. 2019-02040
Robert S. Dean, Center for Appellate Litigation, New York (Katharine Skolnick of counsel), for appellant. Cyrus R. Vance, Jr., District Attorney, New York (Vincent Rivelesse of counsel), for respondent.
Robert S. Dean, Center for Appellate Litigation, New York (Katharine Skolnick of counsel), for appellant.
Cyrus R. Vance, Jr., District Attorney, New York (Vincent Rivelesse of counsel), for respondent.
Before: Kapnick, J.P., Singh, Moulton, Shulman, Higgitt, JJ.
Judgment, Supreme Court, New York County (Kevin B. McGrath, J. at plea; Curtis J. Farber, J. at sentencing), rendered December 14, 2018, convicting defendant of aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle in the first degree, and sentencing him to a term of 1⅓ to 4 years and a $500 fine, unanimously modified, as a matter of discretion in the interest of justice, to the extent of vacating the fee and surcharges imposed at sentencing, and otherwise affirmed.
Defendant made a valid waiver of his right to appeal (see People v Thomas, 34 N.Y.3d 545 [2019], cert denied 589 U.S. ___, 140 S.Ct. 2634 [2020]; People v Bryant, 28 N.Y.3d 1094, 1096 [2016]), which forecloses review of his excessive sentence claim. In any event, we perceive no basis for reducing the sentence. However, based on our own interest of justice powers and the People's consent, we vacate the surcharge and fees imposed at sentencing (see People v Chirinos, 190 A.D.3d 434 [1st Dept 2021]). This does not apply to the $500 fine.