Felony court news - Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2024

Child porn

A Portland man was sentenced in Jay Circuit Court to prison for possessing child pornography.

Thomas J. Clutter, 77, 238 E. North St., pleaded guilty to the Level 5 felony. He was sentenced to 34 months in Indiana Department of Correction with 30 months suspended. Clutter was given credit for time served and assessed $189 in court costs.

Drunk driving

A Dunkirk man was sentenced to jail in Jay Superior Court for drunk driving.

Charles L. Copeland, 59, 423 North Main St., Dunkirk, pleaded guilty to operating a vehicle while intoxicated, a Level 6 felony. He was sentenced to 730 days in Jay County Jail and given 260 days credit for time served. 

Copeland was fined $1, assessed $189.50 in court costs and ordered to pay a $200 drug and alcohol countermeasures fee. As part of his plea agreement, a Level 6 felony for operating a vehicle with a blood alcohol level of 0.08% or more was dismissed.

Battery

A Portland man was sentenced to prison for battery.

Robert P. Miller, 44, 115 West Fifth St., Portland, pleaded guilty in Jay Superior Court to battery against a public safety official, a Level 6 felony. He was sentenced to one year in Indiana Department of Correction with all but 60 days suspended and given 10 days credit for time served. Miller was assessed $189 in court costs and placed on probation for 305 days. 

As part of his plea agreement, a Class A misdemeanor for resisting law enforcement and a Class B misdemeanor for public intoxication were dismissed.

Domestic battery

Three local residents were sentenced to serve time after pleading guilty to domestic battery in Jay Superior Court.

Trista L. Carreno, 35, 2367 West Indiana 26, Portland, pleaded guilty to domestic battery, a Class A misdemeanor. Carreno was sentenced to one year in Jay County Jail with all but four days suspended and given four days credit for time served. Carreno was assessed $189 in court costs and ordered to pay a $0 domestic violence prevention and treatment fee. She was placed on probation for 361 days. Her charge was lessened from a Level 6 felony.

Omar R. Martin Jr., 27, 324 W. State St. Albany, pleaded guilty to a domestic battery, a Level 6 felony. He was sentenced to one year in Jay County Jail with all but six days suspended and given six days credit for time served. Martin was fined $25, assessed $189 in court costs and ordered to pay a $50 domestic violence prevention and treatment fee. He was placed on probation for 359 days.

Aaron M. Hall, 43, 1132 South Massachusetts Ave., Portland, pleaded guilty to domestic battery, a Level 6 felony. He was sentenced to 730 days in Indiana Department of Correction with all but one year suspended and given 12 days credit for time served. Hall was fined $25, assessed $189 in court costs and ordered to pay a $50 domestic violence prevention and treatment fee. He was placed on probation for one year.

Residential entry

A Tennessee man was sentenced in Jay Superior Court to four years of prison for residential entry.

Trevin W. Miller, 34, 4330 Dockery Branch Road, Sevierville, pleaded guilty to the Level 6 felony and admitted to being a habitual offender. 

He was sentenced to 1,460 days in Indiana Department of Correction — his sentence was doubled because of the habitual offender enhancement — and given 130 days credit for time served. Miller was assessed $189 in court costs. 

Dependent neglect

A Geneva man was sentenced to prison for neglect of a dependent.

Joseph A. Green, 40, 315 East High St., P.O. Box 315, pleaded guilty in Jay Circuit Court to neglect of a dependent resulting in bodily injury, a Level 5 felony. Green was sentenced to four years in Indiana Department of Correction and given credit for time served. He was assessed $189 in court costs. 

As part of his plea agreement, a Class B misdemeanor for visiting a common nuisance and a habitual offender enhancement were dismissed.