Cases | State v. Velasquez, 602 N.W.2d 693 (N.D. 1999 | 2018
The defendant sold drugs to a police informant and was ordered to pay restitution to the drug task force for drug purchase money. On appeal, the defendant claimed that: (1) the words “resulting from” in N.D. Cent. Code § 12.1-32-02(1)(e) covered only losses occurring after delivery of the drugs; and (2) the drug task force was not a “victim” as defined by law. The supreme court held that: (1) words in a statute are to be understood in their ordinary sense, and the words “resulting from” in an ordinary sense mean “as a consequence of”; and (2) the restitution award was appropriate because the legislature placed no limits on the term “victim” for purposes of restitution, but instead gave authority to courts to determine who or what entity may receive restitution.