Opinion
01-06-2015
The PEOPLE of the State of New York, Respondent, v. Jorge ZEPEDA, Defendant–Appellant.
Scott A. Rosenberg, The Legal Aid Society, New York (Michael C. Taglieri of counsel), for appellant. Cyrus R. Vance, Jr., District Attorney, New York (Brian R. Pouliot of counsel), for respondent.
Scott A. Rosenberg, The Legal Aid Society, New York (Michael C. Taglieri of counsel), for appellant.
Cyrus R. Vance, Jr., District Attorney, New York (Brian R. Pouliot of counsel), for respondent.
Opinion Order, Supreme Court, New York County (Michael R. Sonberg, J.), entered on or about September 12, 2012, which adjudicated defendant a level two sexually violent offender pursuant to the Sex Offender Registration Act (Correction Law art. 6–C), unanimously affirmed, without costs.
The court properly exercised its discretion when it declined to grant a downward departure (see People v. Gillotti, 23 N.Y.3d 841, 994 N.Y.S.2d 1, 18 N.E.3d 701 [2014] ). There is no basis for a downward departure, given the seriousness of the underlying conduct, committed against a child. There is no merit to defendant's argument that his deportation to Mexico resulted in such a reduced risk to public safety as to warrant a downward departure (see e. g. People v. Kachatov, 106 A.D.3d 973, 965 N.Y.S.2d 373 [2d Dept.], lv. denied 21 N.Y.3d 863, 2013 WL 4562746 [2013] ).
MAZZARELLI, J.P., DeGRASSE, MANZANET–DANIELS, FEINMAN, GISCHE, JJ., concur.