THIGPEN, Judge.
Betty Barr ("Defendant") was charged and convicted of illegally accessing and aiding and abetting in the access of a government computer in violation of N.C. Gen.Stat. § 14-454.1(a)(2) and (b). On appeal, we must determine whether the trial court erred in denying Defendant's motion to dismiss, whether an indictment was fatally defective, and whether the trial court erred in its instructions to the jury. We conclude there was no prejudicial error in the judgments convicting Defendant in Case Nos. 10 CRS 1557, 10 CRS 1558, and 10 CRS 1559. However, the portion of the judgment convicting Defendant in Case No. 10 CRS 1560 for a violation of N.C. Gen.Stat. § 14-454.1(b) must be arrested.
The evidence of record tends to show the following: Defendant was the owner and operator of Lexington License Plate Agency No. 29 ("Lexington Agency"). When a car dealer completes a vehicle sale, he must transfer title of the vehicle to the new owner, which entails delivering relevant paperwork, such as the bill of sale and application for new title, to a license plate agency such as the Lexington Agency. Defendant underwent training at the North Carolina Department
Defendant worked with four other title clerks at the Lexington Agency, Bettina Granados ("Granados"), Arlene Cornatzer ("Cornatzer"), Mary Byerly ("Byerly"), and Miranda Stokes ("Stokes"). On average, the Lexington Agency handled 700 to 800 vehicle title transfers and 200 to 300 telephone calls per day.
The Lexington Agency had a policy for occasions when title transfer issues or questions arose. First, the title clerk would consult the DMV manual. If the title clerk did not find the answer in the DMV manual, the title clerk would next ask other title clerks for guidance. If other title clerks had not encountered that particular issue before, the title clerk would then call a DMV help desk in Raleigh, North Carolina. The help desk, staffed with DMV personnel, would provide an answer and instruct title clerks on the proper resolution to the issue.
Randall K. Lanier ("Lanier") was a car dealer who owned Lanier Motor Company. For more than thirty-five years, Lanier had bought salvaged vehicles, repaired them, and sold them at Lanier Motor Company. In 2007, due to "tremendous financial losses" affecting Lanier's credit, Lanier's bonding company refused to renew the company's bonds for 2008-2009. On 12 August 2008, Lanier's license, Lic. #7736, was terminated. Lanier, however, continued to sell vehicles without a license.
It is undisputed that the Lexington Agency transferred title for sixteen of Lanier Motor Company's vehicle sales while Lanier Motor Company was unlicensed. However, there is conflicting evidence regarding the details of the transfers.
According to several title clerks and Defendant, the following transpired: On 25 September 2008, Lanier went to the Lexington Agency to transfer title for two recent vehicle sales. Defendant was not present. Lanier gave the relevant paperwork to the title clerk, Stokes. Stokes entered Lanier's dealer identification number into STARS, and the computer responded, "invalid dealer number." Stokes asked Granados how to resolve the issue. Granados typed "OS" for the dealer number and told Stokes to continue. "OS" was an abbreviation for out-of-state. When Stokes asked Granados why she had entered "OS[,]" Granados explained that Lanier "was in the process of combining two lots or moving a lot to make his dealer number present. It was in the stage of being perfected by Raleigh, and that's what we were told to do." Stokes understood that Granados had called the DMV help desk to confirm that entering "OS" was the proper procedure for Lanier Motor Company. Entering "OS" for Lanier's transfers of title became the recognized procedure for the office. Several days after 25 September 2008, Lanier again came to the Lexington Agency to transfer title for another vehicle. Defendant entered Lanier's dealer number into STARS, and the system indicated Lanier was an inactive dealer, which means the car dealer has not renewed his dealer license. Granados again told Defendant, "I called [the help desk] and they told me that you could enter those ... because he's just in the process of getting his bonds together." Granados explained that Defendant should enter "OS[.]"
However, according to Granados, she never called the DMV help desk, and, in fact, Defendant had instructed her to enter "OS" for Lanier Motor Company's transfers.
On 5 April 2010, Defendant was indicted on three counts of accessing a government computer and two counts of aiding and abetting accessing a government computer pursuant to N.C. Gen.Stat. § 14-454.1(a) and (b). The indictments charging violations of N.C. Gen.Stat. § 14-454.1(a) were based on title transfers personally made by Defendant on 30 September 2008, 23 October 2008, and 3 November 2008. The indictment charging violations of N.C. Gen.Stat. § 14-454.1(a) and (b) was based on a title transfer by Mary Byerly on 30 January 2009, which Defendant allegedly aided and abetted. The matter came on for trial at the 13 December 2010 session of Davidson County Superior Court. Defendant moved to dismiss the charges at the close of the State's evidence and renewed the motion at the close of all evidence. The jury entered verdicts finding Defendant guilty of three counts of unlawfully accessing a government computer for a fraudulent purpose, and two counts of aiding and abetting the unlawful access of a government computer. The trial court entered a consolidated judgment sentencing Defendant to thirteen to sixteen months incarceration; however, the trial court suspended the sentence and placed Defendant on supervised probation for eighteen months. Defendant was also fined $59.20. From these judgments, Defendant appeals.
Defendant first argues the trial court erred by denying her motion to dismiss because there was no substantial evidence that (1) she accessed a government computer to obtain services by fraud; (2) or that she acted willfully. We disagree and address each argument in turn.
When reviewing a challenge to the denial of a defendant's motion to dismiss a charge on the basis of insufficiency of the evidence, this Court determines "whether the State presented substantial evidence in support of each element of the charged offense." State v. Chapman, 359 N.C. 328, 374, 611 S.E.2d 794, 827 (2005) (quotation omitted). "Substantial evidence is relevant evidence that a reasonable person might accept as adequate, or would consider necessary to support a particular conclusion." State v. Abshire, 363 N.C. 322, 328, 677 S.E.2d 444, 449 (2009) (quotation omitted). "In this determination, all evidence is considered in the light most favorable to the State, and the State receives the benefit of every reasonable inference supported by that evidence." Id. (quotation omitted). Additionally, a "substantial evidence inquiry examines the sufficiency of the evidence presented but not its weight," which remains a matter for the jury. State v. McNeil, 359 N.C. 800, 804, 617 S.E.2d 271, 274 (2005) (quotation omitted). Thus, "[i]f there is substantial evidence—whether direct, circumstantial, or both—to support a finding that the offense charged has been committed and that the defendant committed it, the case is for the jury and the motion to dismiss should be denied." Id. (quotation omitted).
N.C. Gen.Stat. § 14-454.1(a)(2) provides the following: "It is unlawful to willfully, directly or indirectly, access or cause to be accessed any government computer for the purpose of ... [o]btaining property or services by means of false or fraudulent pretenses, representations, or promises." N.C. Gen.Stat. § 14-454.1(b) provides that "[a]ny person who willfully and without authorization, directly or indirectly, accesses or causes to be accessed any government computer for any purpose other than those set forth in subsection (a) of this section is guilty of a Class H felony."
In Defendant's first argument on appeal, she contends the State did not present substantial evidence that she accessed a government computer "for the purpose of obtaining services[.]" We disagree.
N.C. Gen.Stat. § 14-454.1(a)(2) provides, in part, that "[i]t is unlawful to ... access or cause to be accessed any government computer for the purpose of ... [o]btaining property or services[.]" (emphasis added). The indictments charging Defendant with violations of N.C. Gen.Stat. § 14-454.1(a)(2) stated that Defendant "did access a government
N.C. Gen.Stat. § 14-453(4a) defines "[c]omputer services" as "computer time or services, including data processing services, Internet services, electronic mail services, electronic message services, or information or data stored in connection with any of these services." Moreover, N.C. Gen.Stat. § 14-453(9) defines "[s]ervices" as including "computer time, data processing and storage functions."
The following evidence of record supports that Defendant accessed a government computer for the purpose of "obtaining ... services" pursuant to N.C. Gen.Stat. § 14-454.1(a)(2). Assistant Supervisor Danny Barlow ("Supervisor Barlow") from the DMV testified that during the course of his investigation, he discovered that transfers were made by the Lexington Agency using the "OS" code for Lanier Motor Company. Defendant admitted on cross-examination that she personally accessed STARS and made the "transfer on September 30th, 2008, for Lanier Motor Company[.]" Defendant also admitted she accessed STARS and personally made the transfers for Lanier Motor Company on 23 October 2008 and 3 November 2008. Likewise, Defendant admitted that on 30 January 2009, Defendant told "Mary Byerly ... to run a Lanier Motor Company title through as out of state dealer[.]" For the foregoing transfers, Defendant admits that she was "paid $59.20[.]"
We believe the foregoing evidence is substantial evidence to support the element of "[o]btaining ... services" pursuant to N.C. Gen.Stat. § 14-454.1(a)(2), as defined by N.C. Gen.Stat. § 14-453(4a) and N.C. Gen. Stat. § 14-453(9). Defendant had "computer time" on STARS; Defendant also accessed "information or data stored in connection with" STARS. We therefore conclude the trial court did not err by denying Defendant's motion to dismiss on the basis that there was not substantial evidence that Defendant "[o]btain[ed] ... services[.]"
In Defendant's second argument on appeal, she contends the trial court erred by denying her motion to dismiss because the State did not present substantial evidence that Defendant acted willfully as required by N.C. Gen.Stat. § 14-454.1(a)(2). We disagree.
N.C. Gen.Stat. § 14-454.1(a)(2) provides, in part, that "[i]t is unlawful to willfully, directly or indirectly, access or cause to be accessed any government computer[.]" (emphasis added).
"Ordinarily, [w]ilful as used in criminal statutes means the wrongful doing of an act without justification or excuse, or the commission of an act purposely and deliberately in violation of law." State v. Williams, 284 N.C. 67, 72, 199 S.E.2d 409, 412 (1973) (quotation omitted).
In re Adoption of Hoose, 243 N.C. 589, 594, 91 S.E.2d 555, 558 (1956) (quotation omitted).
Defendant argues on appeal that there is no evidence of willfulness because evidence showed that Defendant believed the DMV help desk had instructed the Lexington Agency to enter Lanier Motor Company transfers as "OS." Although there is evidence to support the foregoing assertions by Defendant—in particular, the testimony of Stokes and Defendant—there is also evidence to the contrary—Granados' testimony. When asked, "did you ever call the Department of Motor Vehicle Division in Raleigh to receive any information or assistance regarding that particular issue?" Granados responded, "No, sir." Granados also gave the following testimony at trial:
"It is elementary that the jury may believe all, none, or only part of a witness' testimony[.]" State v. Miller, 26 N.C. App. 440, 443, 216 S.E.2d 160, 162, aff'd, 289 N.C. 1, 220 S.E.2d 572 (1975). Therefore, it was within the province of the jury to disbelieve the testimony of Defendant and several title clerks, but believe Granados' testimony. Taking Granados' testimony in the light most favorable to the State, we believe there was substantial evidence of Defendant's willfulness to violate N.C. Gen.Stat. § 14-454.1(a)(2).
In Defendant's next argument, she contends she cannot be convicted of a violation of both N.C. Gen.Stat. § 14-454.1(a)(2) and (b) for the same "purpose" and transaction. We agree.
N.C. Gen.Stat. § 14-454.1(a)(2) provides that "[i]t is unlawful to willfully, directly or indirectly, access or cause to be accessed any government computer for the purpose of:. . . Obtaining property or services by means of false or fraudulent pretenses, representations, or promises." Id. (emphasis added). N.C. Gen.Stat. § 14-454.1(b) provides that "[a]ny person who willfully and without authorization, directly or indirectly, accesses or causes to be accessed any government computer for any purpose other than those set forth in subsection (a) of this section is guilty of a Class H felony." Id. (emphasis added).
The indictment alleging violations on 30 January 2009 sets forth two counts, one for a violation of N.C. Gen.Stat. § 14-454.1(a), alleging Defendant aided and abetted the access of a government computer "for the purpose of obtaining services. . . . by processing the transfer of a motor vehicle title[,]" and the second for a violation of N.C. Gen.Stat. § 14-454.1(b), alleging Defendant aided and abetted the access of a government computer for the purpose of "improperly processing the transfer of a motor vehicle title[.]"
The plain language of N.C. Gen.Stat. § 14-454.1(b) requires that the purpose for accessing a government computer must be one "other than those set forth" in subsection (a). Id. As both the count charging Defendant with a violation of N.C. Gen.Stat. § 14-454.1(a) and the count charging Defendant with a violation of N.C. Gen.Stat. § 14-454.1(b) allege that Defendant aided and abetted the access of a government computer for the purpose of "processing the transfer of a motor vehicle title[,]" the second count fails to state a purpose "other than those set forth" in subsection (a), and the portion of the indictment charging a violation of N.C. Gen.Stat. § 14-454.1(b) is, therefore, fatally defective. See State v. Patterson, 194 N.C. App. 608, 612, 671 S.E.2d 357, 360, disc. review denied, 363 N.C. 587, 683 S.E.2d 383 (2009) ("A defect in an indictment is considered fatal if it wholly fails . . . to state some essential and necessary element of the offense of which the defendant is found guilty[;][w]hen such a defect is present, it is well established that a motion in arrest of judgment may be made at any time in any court having jurisdiction over the matter, even if raised for the first time on appeal") (internal quotations omitted); see also State v. Martin, 47 N.C. App. 223, 231, 267 S.E.2d 35, 40, disc. review denied, 301 N.C. 238, 283 S.E.2d 134-35 (1980) (stating, "if the facts alleged in one indictment, if given in evidence, would sustain a conviction under a second indictment, or if the same evidence would support a conviction in each case, a defendant may not be tried, convicted and punished for both offenses[;] . . . [i]f, however, a single act constitutes an offense against two statutes and each statute requires proof of an additional fact which the other does not, the offenses are not the same in law and in fact and a defendant may be convicted and punished for both") (internal citations omitted). We conclude the judgment convicting Defendant of aiding and abetting the access of a government computer in violation of N.C. Gen.Stat. § 14-454.1(b) must be arrested.
In Defendant's next argument, she contends the trial court erred by denying Defendant's written request for a jury instruction on the defense of governmental authority. We disagree.
The standard of review for appeals regarding jury instructions to which Defendant has properly lodged an objection at trial is the following:
State v. Glynn, 178 N.C. App. 689, 693, 632 S.E.2d 551, 554, appeal dismissed, disc. review denied, 360 N.C. 651, 637 S.E.2d 180-81 (2006) (quotation omitted). "If a party requests a jury instruction which is a correct statement of the law and which is supported by the evidence, the trial judge must give the instruction at least in substance." State v. Ligon, 332 N.C. 224, 242, 420 S.E.2d 136, 146 (1992) (citation omitted).
In this case, Defendant argues the law and evidence supported a jury instruction on entrapment by estoppel or governmental authority. Our United States Supreme Court has explained the doctrine of entrapment by estoppel as follows: "[C]itizens may not be punished for actions undertaken in good faith reliance upon authoritative assurance that punishment will not attach." United States v. Laub, 385 U.S. 475, 487, 87 S.Ct. 574, 581, 17 L.Ed.2d 526, 534 (1967). A jury may not convict "a citizen for exercising a privilege which the State clearly had told him was available to him." Raley v. Ohio, 360 U.S. 423, 438, 79 S.Ct. 1257, 1266, 3 L.Ed.2d 1344, 1355 (1959).
This Court recently addressed entrapment by estoppel in State v. Pope, ___ N.C.App. ___, ___, 713 S.E.2d 537, 541, disc. review denied, ___ N.C. ___, 718 S.E.2d 393 (2011), stating that "[a] criminal defendant may assert an entrapment-by-estoppel defense when the government affirmatively assures him that certain conduct is lawful, the defendant thereafter engages in the conduct in reasonable reliance on those assurances, and a criminal prosecution based upon the conduct ensues."
In this case, Defendant requested the following jury instruction pertaining to entrapment by estoppel and governmental authority:
The pertinent question on appeal is whether Granados, "an authorized RAC-F title clerk[,]" was a government official for purposes of entrapment by estoppel. Among the numerous examples of government officials in the context of entrapment by estoppel in the law of this State and federal courts are "officials" of the "Town of Coats[,]" Pope, ___ N.C.App. ___, ___, 713 S.E.2d 537, 542, the Un-American Activities Commission, which told witnesses they had a right to rely on the privilege against self-incrimination, Ohio, 360 U.S. 423, 79 S.Ct. 1257, 3 L.Ed.2d 1344, and a Police Chief and Sheriff, Cox v. Louisiana, 379 U.S. 559, 85 S.Ct. 476, 13 L.Ed.2d 487 (1965).
In Defendant's request for the jury instruction, she relied on United States v. Tallmadge, 829 F.2d 767, 774 (9th Cir.1987), in which the majority opinion held the government official was "a federally licensed gun dealer[,]" who the Court described as "a licensee of the federal government[.]" However, we find the dissenting opinion in Tallmadge to be more persuasive. The dissent in Tallmadge disagreed with the majority's conclusion that the federally licensed gun dealer was a governmental official, stating, "I believe the panel errs in allowing Tallmadge to rely on statements purportedly made by the gun dealer, who is not even a federal employee, much less an official authorized to bind the government." Id. at 776 (Kozinski, J., dissenting).
In this case, Defendant contends that Granados, a licensed and "authorized RAC-F title clerk[,]" was a government official for purposes of the entrapment by estoppel defense and jury instruction. Granados was an employee of the Lexington Agency, not the State of North Carolina, and the Lexington Agency was a private contractor. We agree with the federal line of cases aligned with the Tallmadge dissenting opinion, which reason that "a federal license . . . does not transform private licensees into government officials[,]" United States v. Billue, 994 F.2d 1562, 1569 (11th Cir.1993), and "[because] [w]e do not have before us the situation where a government official, such as a judge, a prosecuting attorney, an ATF official, or a probation officer, [made a representation][,]. . . we cannot agree that . . . [a] license . . . is sufficient to transform [the licensee] into government officials[.]" United States v. Austin, 915 F.2d 363, 367 (8th Cir.1990).
In Defendant's final argument on appeal, she contends the trial court committed plain error by failing to instruct the jury on each element of each charge, and Defendant is therefore entitled to a new trial. We disagree.
Defendant did not properly preserve this issue for appeal because she failed to lodge an objection at trial. Defendant requests that the Court review for plain error. "Plain error analysis applies to evidentiary matters and jury instructions." State v.
State v. Odom, 307 N.C. 655, 660, 300 S.E.2d 375, 378 (1983) (quotation omitted) (emphasis in original). Defendant bears the burden of showing that an error arose to the level of plain error. State v. Bishop, 346 N.C. 365, 385, 488 S.E.2d 769, 779 (1997).
"The trial judge has great discretion in the manner in which he charges the jury, but he must explain every essential element of the offense charged." State v. Young, 16 N.C. App. 101, 106, 191 S.E.2d 369, 373 (1972).
In this case, we note that Defendant does not argue that the trial court failed to explain to the jury every essential element of the crimes charged, but rather, Defendant takes issue with the fact that the trial court gave "a generic instruction to the jury for the categories of the charges." This Court has held that similar jury instructions, categorizing multiple identical charges in one instruction, did not constitute plain error. State v. Evans, 162 N.C. App. 540, 544, 591 S.E.2d 564, 566 (2004). The trial court in this case provided the jury with a copy of the instructions and separate verdict sheets clearly identifying the separate charges. However, the dispositive point on this issue is that Defendant has failed to explain in her brief how any alleged error by the trial court in categorizing the jury instructions prejudiced her trial. Because Defendant bears the burden of showing that an error arose to the level of plain error, Bishop, 346 N.C. at 385, 488 S.E.2d at 779, and because Defendant failed to meet this burden, we conclude the trial court did not commit plain error in its jury instructions on the elements of the offenses in this case.
In summary, we conclude there was no prejudicial error in the judgments convicting Defendant in Case Nos. 10 CRS 1557, 10 CRS 1558, and 10 CRS 1559. However, we further conclude the portion of the judgment convicting Defendant in Case No. 10 CRS 1560 for a violation of N.C. Gen.Stat. § 14-454.1(b) must be arrested.
NO ERROR, in part, JUDGMENT ARRESTED, in part.
Judges STEELMAN and BEASLEY concur.