F-2018-339
In OCCA case No. F-2018-339, Gary Julian Gallardo, Jr., appealed his conviction for Trafficking in Illegal Drugs (Methamphetamine) and Conspiracy to Commit Trafficking. In an unpublished decision, the court decided to affirm the judgment and sentence. One member of the court dissented. Gary Gallardo was found guilty of two serious crimes related to drugs. This happened in Jackson County. The jury decided to give him a very long sentence of 40 years in prison for each crime, and these sentences would happen one after the other. When Gallardo appealed, he pointed out a few reasons he believed he should not have been convicted. First, he claimed that the court did not have the right to try him in Jackson County because he believed the crime happened somewhere else. However, the court explained that the issue was actually about where the trial should be held, not whether the court had the power to judge the case. Next, Gallardo said there wasn't enough evidence to prove he was involved in the drug trafficking. The court disagreed after looking at all the evidence and decided that it was enough to show he was part of the crime, even though he was in prison at the time. Gallardo also thought that his trial wasn’t fair because the jury heard about other bad things he had done. The court said this evidence was important to understand his ability to carry out the crime in question. He raised concerns about the way the prosecutors behaved in court, but the court found that their actions did not make the trial unfair or wrong. Gallardo argued that the long sentences he received were too harsh but the court affirmed that his punishments were right given his previous criminal record. Lastly, Gallardo claimed that all the errors during the trial together made it unfair. The court stated that because they didn’t find any actual errors in the trial, there was no unfairness. In summary, the court upheld Gallardo's conviction and sentence, stating there was sufficient evidence, no unfair trial conditions, and that the sentences were appropriate based on his prior convictions.