Kenny Purvis v. State of Indiana , 87 N.E.3d 1119 ( 2017 )


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  •                                                                        FILED
    Nov 16 2017, 5:54 am
    CLERK
    Indiana Supreme Court
    Court of Appeals
    and Tax Court
    ATTORNEY FOR APPELLANT                                    ATTORNEYS FOR APPELLEE
    Kristina L. Lynn                                          Curtis T. Hill, Jr.
    Lynn and Stein, P.C.                                      Attorney General of Indiana
    Wabash, Indiana                                           Katherine Cooper
    Deputy Attorney General
    Indianapolis, Indiana
    IN THE
    COURT OF APPEALS OF INDIANA
    Kenny Purvis,                                             November 16, 2017
    Appellant-Defendant,                                      Court of Appeals Case No.
    09A02-1702-CR-454
    v.                                                Appeal from the Cass Superior
    Court
    State of Indiana,                                         The Honorable Richard A.
    Appellee-Plaintiff                                        Maughmer, Judge
    Trial Court Cause No.
    09D02-1506-F5-53
    Baker, Judge.
    Court of Appeals of Indiana | Opinion 09A02-1702-CR-454 | November 16, 2017                Page 1 of 19
    [1]   Kenny Purvis appeals his convictions for Level 6 Felony Theft,1 Level 6 Felony
    Conspiracy to Commit Theft,2 and Level 5 Felony Corrupt Business Influence.3
    He contends that the evidence is insufficient to support his convictions and that
    the sentence imposed by the trial court was inappropriate in light of the nature
    of the offenses and his character. Finding sufficient evidence and that the
    sentence is not inappropriate, we affirm.
    Facts
    [2]   On May 9, 2015, an employee of the Walmart in Logansport found an empty
    cell phone box in the sporting goods aisle and notified Brady Herrington, an
    Asset Protection Officer, about the discovery. Herrington investigated and
    reviewed digital security footage from Walmart’s security cameras. While
    watching the footage from earlier that day, he observed a member of a group of
    four individuals “quickly” grab the cell phone and conceal it underneath
    clothing in their shopping cart. Tr. Vol. II p. 42. Tracking the group’s
    movement, Herrington observed members of the group, including two
    individuals later identified as Purvis and Adam Wakefield, select and conceal
    “multiple video games in the same method as the cell phone.” 
    Id. at 43.
    The
    individuals then exited the store without paying for the merchandise and drove
    away in a red truck. Based on their behavior and the manner in which they
    1
    Ind. Code § 35-43-4-2(a)(1).
    2
    Ind. Code § 35-41-5-2; I.C. § 35-43-4-2(a)(1).
    3
    Ind. Code § 35-45-6-2(3).
    Court of Appeals of Indiana | Opinion 09A02-1702-CR-454 | November 16, 2017   Page 2 of 19
    concealed the merchandise, Herrington suspected that the group was involved
    in “Organized Retail Crime” and sent out a “BOLO” or “Be On Look Out”
    notification to other stores in the area. 
    Id. at 37,
    54.
    [3]   On May 15, 2015, another employee at the same Walmart discovered “a lot of
    empty . . . keeper boxes”4 in the hardware aisle, hidden behind some light bulbs.
    
    Id. at 55,
    69. Herrington reviewed the security footage for that day; he
    recognized Purvis from the prior incident and observed him grabbing multiple
    copies of the same game. At that time, Wakefield and another individual were
    with Purvis and, after taking the games, the group “split up” and took the
    games out of view of the cameras, near the hardware aisle. 
    Id. at 60-61.
    Soon
    thereafter, Wakefield and the unidentified individual left; however, they
    returned less than twenty minutes later. The group took a labyrinthine route
    through the store before stopping at the hardware aisle “for a while[.]” 
    Id. at 81.
    Another Asset Protection Officer, Amy Powers, testified that, based on her
    personal experience, their routes were unusual for most shoppers but “typical
    for shop lifting teams.” 
    Id. at 84.
    The individuals exited the Walmart and
    drove away in the same red truck from the first incident.
    [4]   On May 19, 2015, Powers recognized Purvis, Wakefield, and a woman, later
    identified as Charlene Reiner, pushing a cart filled with clothing through the
    4
    Keeper boxes are plastic security cases containing magnetic strips that set off an alarm if the keeper boxes
    are not deactivated and removed before exiting the store. They are meant to deter theft and are commonly
    used to store “high theft items,” such as video games, Blu-ray discs, DVDs, and SD cards. Tr. Vol. II p. 55,
    108.
    Court of Appeals of Indiana | Opinion 09A02-1702-CR-454 | November 16, 2017                       Page 3 of 19
    video game aisle. Based on her suspicions and experience, Powers contacted
    local police and followed Wakefield, who was pushing the cart. Before
    reaching the checkout or the exit, Wakefield was stopped and he, Purvis, and
    Reiner were escorted to the Asset Protection Office. Upon examining the cart,
    Powers discovered over $400 worth of electronics and video games hidden
    inside and under clothing. After interviewing all the individuals, the police
    searched each of them and discovered that Wakefield had four empty Walmart
    bags in his pockets. Soon thereafter, with Purvis’s consent to search, the police
    discovered a Walmart bag containing eight copies of a newly released video
    game in his truck. The games in the truck retailed for $59.96 apiece and had
    just been released that day. While Purvis denied stealing from the Walmart, he
    admitted that he knew the games in the truck were stolen and that Wakefield
    told him he planned to steal from the Walmart.
    [5]   Subsequent investigation by the Logansport Police Department uncovered that
    Purvis offered and sold “a lot of video games” on an informal Facebook garage
    sale page. 
    Id. at 140,
    156; State’s Ex. 6. The garage sale page contained
    multiple posts from Purvis’s personal Facebook page advertising the sale of
    dozens of “unopened”—and sometimes “brand new”—video games at heavily
    discounted prices; some of the games still had Walmart stickers on them. Tr.
    Vol. II p. 140, 156. Several of Purvis’s posts and messages to potential
    customers indicated that he could acquire specific games and he sometimes
    solicited other Facebook users, asking if they wanted a specific game.
    Court of Appeals of Indiana | Opinion 09A02-1702-CR-454 | November 16, 2017   Page 4 of 19
    Additionally, some of the sales occurred in the Logansport Walmart parking
    lot.
    [6]   On November 2, 2016, the State filed amended charges against Purvis including
    Level 6 felony theft, Level 6 felony conspiracy to commit theft, and Level 5
    felony corrupt business influence. The State also alleged that Purvis was an
    habitual offender. Purvis’s jury trial took place on January 4 and 5, 2017, and
    the jury found Purvis guilty of all charges. On January 6, 2017, Purvis admitted
    to being an habitual offender. On January 30, 2017, the trial court sentenced
    Purvis to six years for the corrupt business influence conviction and enhanced it
    by an additional six years because of Purvis’s habitual offender status. For each
    of the remaining convictions, the trial court sentenced Purvis to a two-and-one-
    half-year term, each to be served concurrently with the corrupt business
    influence conviction. Thus, the trial court sentenced Purvis to an aggregate,
    executed sentence of twelve years imprisonment. Purvis now appeals.
    Discussion and Decision
    I. Sufficiency of the Evidence
    [7]   Purvis first argues that there was insufficient evidence to convict him of each
    charge. When reviewing challenges to the sufficiency of the evidence, we do
    not reweigh the evidence or judge the credibility of the witnesses. Bond v. State,
    
    925 N.E.2d 773
    , 781 (Ind. Ct. App. 2010). Instead, we consider only the
    evidence most favorable to the verdict and the reasonable inferences drawn
    therefrom, and we will affirm if the evidence and those inferences constitute
    Court of Appeals of Indiana | Opinion 09A02-1702-CR-454 | November 16, 2017   Page 5 of 19
    substantial evidence of probative value to support the verdict. 
    Id. Reversal is
    appropriate only when a reasonable trier of fact would not be able to form
    inferences as to each material element of the offense. 
    Id. A. Theft
    [8]   To convict Purvis of Level 6 felony theft, the State was required to prove
    beyond a reasonable doubt that he “knowingly or intentionally exert[ed]
    unauthorized control over property of another person, with intent to deprive the
    other person of any part of its value or use,” and that “the value of the property
    is at least seven hundred fifty dollars ($750) and less than fifty thousand dollars
    ($50,000)[.]” I.C. § 35-43-4-2(a)(1)(A).
    [9]   First, Purvis contends that there is no evidence that he left Walmart with any
    video games. However, it is undisputed that there is video evidence from May
    9 and 15 showing Purvis and others quickly taking and concealing video games.
    State’s Ex. 2-4. There is no evidence of Purvis or any of his cohort paying for
    any of these items or placing them back on the shelves before leaving Walmart.
    These circumstances alone would be sufficient to support the determination that
    Purvis knowingly or intentionally exerted unauthorized control over Walmart’s
    property with an intent to deprive Walmart of the property’s value. See K.F. v.
    State, 
    961 N.E.2d 501
    , 508 (Ind. Ct. App. 2012) (“[T]he theft statute does not
    require the State to prove that a defendant was found in possession of the stolen
    property or that the property was later recovered in order to find that a person
    committed theft.”); see also Hampton v. State, 
    873 N.E.2d 1074
    , 1079 (Ind. Ct.
    Court of Appeals of Indiana | Opinion 09A02-1702-CR-454 | November 16, 2017   Page 6 of 
    19 Ohio App. 2007
    ) (“[A] criminal conviction may be based solely on circumstantial
    evidence.”).
    [10]   Furthermore, the following evidence bolsters this conviction:
    • On every occasion, Purvis and his team quickly grabbed and concealed
    the items, suggesting that they did not intend to buy the video games and
    that they did not want anyone to see them with the games. Tr. Vol. II p.
    42.
    • On May 15, Purvis was last seen with the concealed video games
    walking towards the hardware section and, later that day, an employee
    found nine empty keeper boxes in the same section.
    • On May 19, after spending time in the video game aisle with Purvis and
    Reiner, Wakefield was found with four hidden Walmart bags and over
    $400 worth of electronics and video games concealed under and inside
    clothing in a shopping cart.
    • Purvis’s truck contained a Walmart bag with eight stolen copies of a
    video game that was released that day.
    We find that the probative evidence and reasonable inferences drawn from the
    evidence could have allowed a reasonable factfinder to determine that Purvis
    knowingly or intentionally exerted unauthorized control over Walmart’s
    property with an intent to deprive Walmart of the property’s value.
    [11]   Next, Purvis contends that the State failed to demonstrate that the value of the
    stolen property equaled or exceeded $750. For the purpose of theft, the value of
    property is “the fair market value of the property at the time and place the
    offense was committed[.]” I.C. § 35-43-4-2(b)(1). Purvis argues that even
    Court of Appeals of Indiana | Opinion 09A02-1702-CR-454 | November 16, 2017   Page 7 of 19
    though there is evidence that he and his accomplices stole dozens of video
    games on May 9 and 15, the State failed to demonstrate which ones were
    stolen, making valuation of the video games speculative at best. See Lane v.
    State, 
    175 Ind. App. 543
    , 547, 
    372 N.E.2d 1223
    , 1226 (1978) (reversing
    conviction for theft of goods greater than a $100 value where the State failed to
    provide any evidentiary support for the value of the stolen goods).
    [12]   However, additional facts provide a sufficient basis for a factfinder to infer the
    $750 value. Herrington testified that, at the time of the theft, the video games
    found in Purvis’s vehicle retailed for $59.96 apiece, meaning that the eight
    games had a fair market value of approximately $480. Tr. Vol. II p. 63.
    Considering that those games, which were released that day, were in or next to
    a Walmart bag and Purvis admitted that they were stolen, a reasonable
    factfinder could have inferred that Purvis stole these games from the
    Logansport Walmart.
    [13]   Furthermore, after Purvis, Wakefield, and Reiner were detained on May 19,
    Amy Powers testified that their cart contained eight games, retailing for
    approximately $400. 
    Id. at 100.
    Considering the value of the games in the cart
    and the number of games that can be seen taken on the security footage from
    May 9 and 15, a reasonable factfinder could have inferred that the $400 worth
    of games was characteristic of the value of the games stolen on May 9 and 15.
    Lastly, Purvis, Wakefield, and Reiner were not required to leave the store to
    satisfy the material elements of theft, meaning that the value of the games found
    concealed in their cart is probative of the total value of the stolen goods.
    Court of Appeals of Indiana | Opinion 09A02-1702-CR-454 | November 16, 2017   Page 8 of 19
    Therefore, there was sufficient evidence to support the material element that the
    value of the stolen property equaled or exceeded $750.
    [14]   In sum, there was sufficient evidence to support Purvis’s conviction for Level 6
    felony theft.
    B. Conspiracy
    [15]   Next, Purvis argues that there was insufficient evidence to convict him of
    conspiracy to commit theft. “A person conspires to commit a felony when,
    with intent to commit the felony, the person agrees with another person to
    commit the felony” and “either the person or the person with whom he or she
    agreed perform[s] an overt act in furtherance of the agreement.” I.C. § 35-41-5-
    2. “The State is not required to prove the existence of an express agreement[]”
    but there must be enough evidence to infer an agreement. Kemper v. State, 
    35 N.E.3d 306
    , 310 (Ind. Ct. App. 2015), trans. denied. “‘It is sufficient if the minds
    of the parties meet understandably to bring about an intelligent and deliberate
    agreement to commit the offense.’” Porter v. State, 
    715 N.E.2d 868
    , 870-71 (Ind.
    1999) (quoting Williams v. State, 
    274 Ind. 94
    , 96, 
    409 N.E.2d 571
    , 573 (1980)).
    [16]   Here, Purvis and Wakefield were together during each trip to Walmart. They
    stole the same types of items, concealed them in the same manner and location,
    and came and left together in the same vehicle. A reasonable factfinder could
    infer an understanding or agreement to commit felony theft from this degree of
    coordination. See, e.g., Phares v. State, 
    506 N.E.2d 65
    , 68 (Ind. Ct. App. 1987)
    (jury could infer an agreement from acts demonstrating the use of tactics and
    Court of Appeals of Indiana | Opinion 09A02-1702-CR-454 | November 16, 2017   Page 9 of 19
    planning). Further, Purvis does not dispute that the concealment of the games
    was an overt act in furtherance of stealing the games. Accordingly, there was
    sufficient evidence to support Purvis’s conviction for Level 6 felony conspiracy
    to commit theft.
    C. Corrupt Business Influence
    [17]   To convict Purvis of Level 5 felony corrupt business influence under Indiana’s
    Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act,5 the State was
    required to prove that he was “employed by or associated with an enterprise,
    and . . . knowingly or intentionally conducts or otherwise participates in the
    activities of that enterprise through a pattern of racketeering activity[.]” I.C. §
    35-45-6-2(3).
    [18]   First, we must determine whether Purvis was associated with an “enterprise,”
    which is defined, among other things, as “a union, an association, or a group,
    whether a legal entity or merely associated in fact.” I.C. § 35-45-6-1(c)(2).
    “[T]he hallmark of an enterprise is structure. . . . A RICO enterprise is an
    ongoing group of persons ‘associated through time, joined in purpose, and
    organized in a manner amenable to hierarchical or consensual decision-
    making.’” Miller v. State, 
    992 N.E.2d 791
    , 794 (Ind. Ct. App. 2013) (quoting
    United States v. Rogers, 
    89 F.3d 1326
    , 1337 (7th Cir. 1996)). 6 Additionally,
    5
    I.C. ch. 35-45-6.
    6
    Though the federal RICO Act and Indiana’s RICO Act are distinct, see Jackson v. State, 
    50 N.E.3d 767
    , 769
    (Ind. 2016), we have noted that relatively “little has been written in Indiana upon the definition of
    Court of Appeals of Indiana | Opinion 09A02-1702-CR-454 | November 16, 2017                    Page 10 of 19
    because a RICO enterprise is more than a group who got together to commit a
    pattern of racketeering activity, there should be sufficient evidence to infer that
    the group is an “‘organization with a structure and goals separate from the
    predicate acts themselves.’” Stachon v. United Consumers Club, Inc., 
    229 F.3d 673
    , 675 (7th Cir. 2000) (quoting United States v. Masters, 
    924 F.2d 1362
    , 1367
    (7th Cir. 1991)).
    [19]   We find that Purvis’s group was an enterprise for the purposes of RICO. The
    thefts were joined in time and purpose: within the span of three weeks, Purvis
    and at least two others met and stole primarily video games from the same
    location on at least three separate occasions. The group acted in a manner that
    was amenable to hierarchal decision-making because Purvis was the one
    providing transportation, selling games on the garage sale page, and interacting
    with and soliciting customers—he was in a strong position to direct the group’s
    efforts towards certain items and actions. See, e.g., 
    Waldon, 829 N.E.2d at 176
    -
    77 (finding a RICO enterprise where defendant recruited three juveniles to
    commit a series of burglaries, he provided transportation, they had a consistent
    method in how they performed the crimes, and they made “regular . . . attempts
    at burglary[]”). Further, there is sufficient evidence from which a reasonable
    factfinder could have inferred a “structure and goals separate from the predicate
    acts . . . .” 
    Stachon, 229 F.3d at 675
    . The State produced twelve pages of
    ‘enterprise,’” Waldon v. State, 
    829 N.E.2d 168
    , 176 (Ind. Ct. App. 2005), disapproved on other grounds by
    
    Jackson, 50 N.E.3d at 774-75
    , and we have observed that “federal cases concerning the general construction
    of the Act are instructive,” 
    Miller, 992 N.E.2d at 794
    .
    Court of Appeals of Indiana | Opinion 09A02-1702-CR-454 | November 16, 2017                    Page 11 of 19
    Purvis’s Facebook posts selling apparently new and unopened games. State’s
    Ex. 6. The earliest post was created on December 15, 2014, and the posts
    extend to May 9, 2015. Some of the games in the posts have Walmart stickers
    on them and many are priced at half off their retail value. In sum, a reasonable
    factfinder could have inferred that the group stole the games, not simply to
    obtain the games, but for the ultimate goal of reselling them for profit.
    [20]   Second, we must determine whether Purvis engaged in “racketeering activity,”
    which means “to commit, to attempt to commit, to conspire to commit a
    violation of, or aiding and abetting in a violation” of any of the listed offenses,
    including theft. I.C. § 35-45-6-1(e)(14). As explained above, there was
    sufficient evidence to support Purvis’s conviction for theft. In other words,
    there was sufficient evidence to support the determination that Purvis engaged
    in racketeering activity because he committed multiple thefts.
    [21]   Third, we must consider whether Purvis’s behavior amounted to a “pattern of
    racketeering activity,” which is defined as “engaging in at least two (2) incidents
    of racketeering activity that have the same or similar intent, result, accomplice,
    victim, or method of commission, or that are otherwise interrelated by
    distinguishing characteristics that are not isolated incidents. . . .” I.C. § 35-45-6-
    1(d). Our Supreme Court recently explained that:
    [T]he statute does not apply to sporadic or disconnected criminal
    acts. Thus, although failure to prove continuity [of the acts] is
    not necessarily fatal to a corrupt business influence conviction—
    since it is not a separate element in the statute—the State must
    still demonstrate that the criminal incidents were in fact a
    Court of Appeals of Indiana | Opinion 09A02-1702-CR-454 | November 16, 2017   Page 12 of 19
    “pattern” and not merely “isolated” incidents. And evidence of a
    degree of continuity or threat of continuity is certainly helpful in
    establishing the necessary “pattern.”
    
    Jackson, 50 N.E.3d at 775-76
    (footnote omitted).
    [22]   We find that a reasonable factfinder could conclude that Purvis’s conduct
    constituted a pattern of racketeering activity. The thefts had a common
    intent—to steal and resell video games. During each theft, Purvis acted with
    multiple accomplices. Purvis used the same method to commit each theft—
    concealing video games under a pile of clothes in a shopping cart—and stole
    from the same victim. Purvis also drove most, if not all, of the group to and
    from Walmart in the same vehicle. Considering these common threads, we
    conclude that the evidence was sufficient to establish that Purvis’s conduct was
    a “pattern of racketeering activity” and not sporadic, unrelated, or isolated
    incidents. I.C. § 35-45-6-1(d).7
    [23]   Purvis relies on Robinson v. State, 
    56 N.E.3d 652
    (Ind. Ct. App. 2016), trans.
    denied, in contending that Indiana’s RICO Act does not apply to him. In
    Robinson, Robinson and his fiancée visited a local Walmart. The two split up
    and Robinson went to the electronics department. He quickly selected a home
    security camera and went to the men’s apparel section, leaving soon thereafter
    7
    We do not mean to suggest, by listing a common intent, result, accomplice, victim, and method of
    commission, that the statutory definition of “pattern of racketeering activity” requires that all or even most of
    these factors be satisfied.
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    without the camera. 
    Id. at 654-55.
    Robinson and his fiancée then met up and
    left the store; several hours later employees found the camera box, which was
    missing several parts. Nearly three weeks later, the two returned to the same
    Walmart and began repeating the same steps as the previous visit. However,
    after a store employee spotted Robinson opening a box of the same type of
    security camera, police were called and Robinson was arrested and charged
    with several offenses, including Level 5 felony corrupt business influence. A
    jury ultimately convicted Robinson of, among other things, corrupt business
    influence. 
    Id. at 655.
    [24]   Robinson appealed and this Court reversed his corrupt business influence
    conviction. In reasoning that Indiana’s RICO Act did not apply to Robinson,
    this Court observed:
    Here, Robinson twice shoplifted or attempted to shoplift similar
    items from the same Walmart store. Beyond that, there is no
    evidence of any kind of ongoing criminal enterprise. There is no
    evidence of Robinson having acquired any property through
    “racketeering activity” other than the items he stole or attempted
    to steal from Walmart. There is no evidence of extensive
    planning or increasing sophistication of Robinson’s crimes.
    There is no evidence he enlisted any accomplices to work with
    him; the record does not contain any evidence that [Robinson’s
    fiancée] was aware of Robinson’s criminal actions, and she
    denied having any knowledge of them. Robinson was not any
    kind of criminal mastermind, nor did he work for one. The
    crimes were isolated and sporadic.
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    Id. at 659.
    The Court also noted that Robinson and his crimes were not the
    type of person or activity that the General Assembly intended to be covered by
    the RICO Act. 
    Id. at 659-60.
    [25]   The facts of the present case are clearly distinguishable from Robinson. As
    noted earlier, Purvis stole or attempted to steal dozens of games to resell them
    for profit—he did not steal a game or two simply to play them at home. Unlike
    Robinson, Purvis acted in concert with a cohort of accomplices who were not
    only aware of Purvis’s goals but actively assisted him in achieving them. On
    every occasion, Purvis was accompanied by at least one other person and
    sometimes as many as three others. Purvis and his accomplices also
    demonstrated significant planning and sophistication in executing their crimes:
    they came to the video game section with a ready-made place to conceal the
    games; they hid the games across the store, returning later to retrieve them; they
    knew about the keeper boxes and came prepared to remove them; and their
    movements demonstrated forethought because the group regularly split up after
    concealing the games and took circuitous routes through the store in a manner
    that was typical for “shop lifting teams.” Tr. Vol. II p. 84. For these reasons,
    we have little difficulty in distinguishing the present case from Robinson or in
    finding that Indiana’s RICO Act applies here.8
    8
    Purvis also contends that his “conduct is not the type of crime that the RICO Act is intended to punish.”
    Appellant’s Br. p. 12. To the extent that he relies on Robinson for this proposition, we have discussed why his
    situation is distinguishable from that case. Notwithstanding that point, we find that his conduct satisfied the
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    [26]   In sum, there was sufficient evidence to establish that Purvis was associated
    with an enterprise, and knowingly or intentionally participated in the activities
    of that enterprise through a pattern of thefts. In other words, there was
    sufficient evidence to support Purvis’s conviction for corrupt business influence.
    II. Appropriateness of Sentence
    [27]   Finally, Purvis argues that the sentence is inappropriate in light of the nature of
    the offenses and his character. Indiana Appellate Rule 7(B) provides that this
    Court may revise a sentence if it is inappropriate in light of the nature of the
    offense and the character of the offender. We must “conduct [this] review with
    substantial deference and give ‘due consideration’ to the trial court’s decision—
    since the ‘principal role of [our] review is to attempt to leaven the outliers,’ and
    not to achieve a perceived ‘correct’ sentence . . . .” Knapp v. State, 
    9 N.E.3d 1274
    , 1292 (Ind. 2014) (quoting Chambers v. State, 
    989 N.E.2d 1257
    , 1259 (Ind.
    2013)) (internal citations omitted).
    [28]   Purvis was convicted of three crimes. The sentencing options and outcomes for
    each conviction are as follows:
    • He was convicted of one Level 5 felony, for which he faced a sentence of
    one to six years, with an advisory term of three years. Ind. Code § 35-50-
    2-6(b). He received a six-year term, which was enhanced by six years
    because of his habitual offender status. I.C. § 35-50-2-8(i)(2) (for a person
    clear, unambiguous language of the statute, which is the best indicator of legislative intent. See Day v. State,
    
    57 N.E.3d 809
    , 812 (Ind. 2016).
    Court of Appeals of Indiana | Opinion 09A02-1702-CR-454 | November 16, 2017                         Page 16 of 19
    convicted of a Level 5 or 6 felony, minimum enhancement is two years;
    maximum enhancement is six years).
    • He was convicted of two Level 6 felonies, for which he faced a sentence
    of six months to two and one-half years, with an advisory term of one
    year. I.C. § 35-50-2-7(b). For each count, he received a two and one-half
    year term, to be served concurrently with the Level 5 conviction.
    Thus, the trial court imposed an aggregate, fully-executed sentence of twelve
    years imprisonment, with credit for twenty-five days served. Had the trial court
    imposed maximum, fully consecutive terms on all convictions, Purvis would
    have received an aggregate term of seventeen years.
    [29]   With respect to the nature of Purvis’s offenses, Purvis actively participated with
    a group to steal and resell video games on a large scale. The trial court found
    that Purvis was the “leader” of the group, and there is no doubt that he played
    an instrumental role in the offenses by providing transportation, aiding in the
    concealment of the games, and soliciting and conducting resales. Tr. Vol. II p.
    222. Purvis argues that the loss to Walmart was minimal, considering its size
    and the fact that it did not seek restitution. However, the size of the store does
    not negate the severity of his crime. Further, the evidence demonstrates that
    Purvis and his cohort stole or attempted to steal at an alarming rate (at least
    $800 worth of video games in a ten-day span) and showed no indication of
    slowing down. Many of the games from the earlier Facebook posts still had
    Walmart stickers on them and a reasonable factfinder could have inferred,
    based on all these circumstances, that the three incidents in May 2015 were not
    the only times that Purvis and his accomplices stole from Walmart.
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    [30]   With respect to Purvis’s character, he concedes that he has multiple prior felony
    convictions, including: Class B felony dealing in methamphetamine; Class C
    felony burglary; Class D felony theft; Class D felony aiding, inducing, or
    causing theft; and Class D felony possession of marijuana; as well as two
    misdemeanor convictions and three adjudications as delinquent. Appellant’s
    Confidential App. p. 6-9. Despite his considerable criminal history, Purvis
    contends that “his record is certainly not the worst of the worst.” Appellant’s
    Br. p. 22. However, it is undisputed that, although Purvis received the
    maximum sentence on every conviction and the maximum habitual offender
    enhancement, he will not serve the maximum possible sentence because his
    sentence for each of the two Level 6 counts will be served concurrently to the
    Level 5 term. See Wells v. State, 
    904 N.E.2d 265
    , 274 (Ind. Ct. App. 2009) (“The
    maximum possible sentences are generally most appropriate for the worst
    offenders.”). While he also claims to have a close relationship with his family,
    he provides no reason why this mitigates any of his behavior. Purvis’s record
    reveals that he has failed to take advantage of numerous chances to learn from
    his mistakes—including an earlier conviction for felony theft—and his history
    demonstrates an unwillingness or an inability to conform his behavior to the
    rule of law.
    [31]   In sum, we do not find the sentence imposed by the trial court to be
    inappropriate in light of the nature of the offenses or Purvis’s character.
    Court of Appeals of Indiana | Opinion 09A02-1702-CR-454 | November 16, 2017   Page 18 of 19
    [32]   The judgment of the trial court is affirmed.
    Bailey, J., and Altice, J., concur.
    Court of Appeals of Indiana | Opinion 09A02-1702-CR-454 | November 16, 2017   Page 19 of 19