R.C. 2941.25(A) Interpretation

R.C. 2941.25(A) provides, "Where the same conduct by defendant can be construed to constitute two or more allied offenses of similar import, the indictment may contain counts for all such offenses, but the defendant may be convicted of only one." In State v. Rance, 85 Ohio St.3d 632, 638, 1999 Ohio 291, 710 N.E.2d 699, the Ohio Supreme Court held that to determine whether crimes are allied offenses of similar import under R.C. 2941.25(A), courts must assess "whether the statutory elements of the crimes correspond to such a degree that the commission of one crime will result in the commission of the other." The Rance test requires a strict textual comparison of the statutory elements, without reference to the particular facts of the case, to determine if one offense requires proof of an element that the other does not. If the elements do correspond, the defendant may be convicted and sentenced for only one offense, unless the court finds that the defendant committed the crimes separately or with separate animus. Therefore, we must determine whether the possession and trafficking counts involved allied offenses of similar import or whether the charged offenses were committed separately or with separate animus.