Felony court news - Wednesday, Oct. 11, 2023

Drug possession

Several people were ordered to serve time for drug charges.

Danielle L. Ingram, 20, 628 E. Main St., Portland, pleaded guilty in Jay Superior Court to possession of methamphetamine, a Level 6 felony. She was sentenced to 180 days in Jay County Jail and given 98 days credit for time served. Ingram was fined $25, assessed $185 in court costs and ordered to pay a $200 drug abuse, prosecution, interdiction and correction fee. As part of her plea agreement, a Class C misdemeanor for possession of paraphernalia was dismissed.

Luke W. Moles, 25, 346 W. Washington St., Dunkirk, pleaded guilty in Jay Circuit Court to possession of methamphetamine, a Level 6 felony. He was sentenced to three years in Indiana Department of Correction and given credit for time served. Moles was assessed $185 in court costs and ordered to pay a $200 drug abuse, prosecution, interdiction and correction fee. As part of his plea agreement, a Level 5 felony for maintaining a common nuisance was dismissed.

Austin D. Derringer, 27, pleaded guilty in Jay Circuit Court to possession of methamphetamine, a Level 6 felony. He was sentenced to four years in Indiana Department of Correction with 2.5 years suspended and given credit for time served. Derringer was fined $1, assessed $185 in court costs and ordered to pay a $200 drug abuse, prosecution, interdiction and correction fee.

Christina R. Morgan, 49, 510 W. High St., Portland, pleaded guilty in Jay Circuit Court to possession of methamphetamine, a Level 6 felony. She was sentenced to one year in Indiana Department of Correction and given credit for time served. Morgan was assessed $185 in court costs and ordered to pay a $200 drug abuse, prosecution, interdiction and correction fee. As part of her plea agreement, the following charges were dismissed: a Level 6 felony for maintaining a common nuisance, a Class A misdemeanor for possession of marijuana and a Class C misdemeanor for possession of paraphernalia.

Kenneth W. Wilhelm, 33, 3846 S. 100 West, Portland, pleaded guilty in Jay Circuit Court to possession of methamphetamine, a Level 6 felony. He was sentenced to three years in Indiana Department of Correction with 18 months suspended and placed on probation. Wilhelm was given credit for time served, fined $1, assessed $185 in court costs and ordered to pay a $200 drug abuse, prosecution, interdiction and correction fee.

Danielle L. Ingram, 628 E. Main St., Portland, pleaded guilty in Jay Circuit Court to possession of methamphetamine, a Level 6 felony. She was sentenced to 180 days in Jay County Jail and given 98 days credit for time served. Ingram was fined $25 and charged $385 in court costs and filing fees. As part of her plea agreement, a Class C misdemeanor for possession of paraphernalia was dismissed.

Cheryl Johnson, 48, 1903 E 22nd St., Muncie, was found guilty by a Jay Circuit Court jury of a Level 4 felony for possession of methamphetamine and three Level 6 felonies for unlawful possession of a syringe, possession of a narcotic drug and maintaining a common nuisance. The jury found her not guilty of dealing methamphetamine, a Level 2 felony. She was sentenced to four years in Indiana Department of Correction with all but 18 months suspended and placed on probation. Johnson was assessed $185 in court costs and ordered to pay a $200 drug abuse, prosecution, interdiction and correction fee. She was placed on home detention for 18 months. 

Criminal confinement

Two people were sentenced to prison for criminal confinement charges.

Jason L. Clutter, 35, 690 E. 600 North, Bryant, pleaded guilty in Jay Circuit Court to criminal confinement while armed with a deadly weapon, a Level 3 felony. He was sentenced to nine years in Indiana Department of Correction with eight years suspended and placed on probation. Clutter was ordered to serve one year of his sentence at Jay County Jail. He was given credit for time served, fined $1 and assessed $185 in court costs. As part of his plea agreement, the following charges were dismissed: a Level 3 felony for criminal confinement while armed with a deadly weapon, two Level 6 felonies for pointing a firearm at another person, and a Level 6 felony for criminal recklessness committed with a deadly weapon.

Chance L. Mata, 26, was found guilty by a Jay Circuit Court jury of criminal confinement, a Level 3 felony, and intimidation, a Level 5 felony. He was sentenced to 13 years in Indiana Department of Correction with an additional 13 years from a habitual offender enhancement for criminal confinement and four years in Indiana Department of Correction with an additional four years from a habitual offender enhancement for intimidation. (Both sentences will be served concurrently.) The court recommended him for purposeful incarceration, meaning upon completing a substance abuse treatment program it would consider modifying his sentence. Mata was assessed $185 in court costs.

Criminal recklessness

Two Portland residents were sentenced to jail for criminal recklessness.

Robert J. Balle, 50, 623 1/2 E. Votaw St., pleaded guilty in Jay Superior Court to criminal recklessness committed with a deadly weapon, a Level 6 felony. He was sentenced to one year in Jay County Jail and given 294 days credit for time served. Balle was assessed $185 in court costs.

Travis J. Hitchfiel, 23, 1237 N. U.S. 27, pleaded guilty in Jay Superior Court to criminal recklessness committed with a deadly weapon, a Level 6 felony. He was sentenced to 545 days in Jay County Jail with 541 days suspended and given four days credit for time served. Hitchfiel was charged $590 in court costs and filing fees, fined $25 and ordered to pay $3,028.36 in restitution at the time of his sentencing. As part of his plea agreement, a Class A misdemeanor for criminal mischief and a Class B misdemeanor for reckless driving were dismissed.

Unlawful possession

Two Portland residents were sentenced to jail for unlawful possession of syringes.

Travis J. Guntle, 23, 997 S. Boundary Pike, Portland, pleaded guilty in Jay Superior Court to the Level 6 felony. He was sentenced to 270 days in Jay County Jail and given 146 days credit for time served. Guntle was assessed $185 in court costs. As part of his plea agreement, a Level 6 felony for possession of a narcotic drug and a Class B misdemeanor for possession of marijuana were dismissed.

Travis M. Clem, 44, 944 West Main St., Portland, pleaded guilty in Jay Superior Court to the Level 6 felony. He was sentenced to one year in Jay County Jail and given credit for 306 days served. Clem was charged $385 in court costs and filing fees and fined $25.

Unlawful gun

A rural Portland man was sentenced to jail in Jay Circuit Court for false informing.

Shawn T. Stinson, 42, 5289 S. 550 West, had been charged with unlawful possession of a firearm by a serious violent felon, a Level 4 felony, and a Class B misdemeanor for false informing. He pleaded guilty to the latter, and the felony charge was dismissed. Stinson was sentenced to 180 days in Jay County Jail and given credit for time served. He was assessed $185 in court costs.

Domestic battery

A Portland man was sentenced to jail for domestic battery.

Kienon L. Sutton, 35, 919 E. North St., Portland, pleaded guilty in Jay Superior Court to the Level 6 felony. He was sentenced to one year in Jay County Jail and given four days credit for time served. Sutton was fined $25 and assessed $185 in court costs and ordered to pay $465 in other fees.

Theft

A Portland woman was sentenced to jail for theft.

Ashley L. Hare, 34, 101 West Moody Ave., Portland, pleaded guilty in Jay Circuit Court to the Level 6 felony. She was sentenced to 18 months in Jay County Jail with six months suspended and given credit for time served. Hare was assessed $185 in court costs.

Dismissed

Indiana v. Shauna B. Manor, Level 6 felony

Indiana v. Shauna B. Manor, Level 6 felony

Indiana v. Zachary F. Sator, Level 5 felony