State vs. William Dozier

The defendant entered guilty pleas to three charges of sale of more than .5 grams of cocaine. The trial court sentenced the defendant as a Range I, standard offender to eight years in the Tennessee Department of Correction on each charge. The court ordered that the sentences be served concurrently for an effective sentence of eight years and fined the defendant $2,000. In this appeal as of right, the defendant challenges the sentence imposed by the trial court, arguing that the court erred by denying him an alternative method of punishment. We conclude that the trial court considered all relevant factors needed to reach an appropriate sentence and that its findings are adequately supported by the record. The defendant has failed to meet his burden of showing that the sentence was improper, and, accordingly, the judgment of the trial court is affirmed.