Felony court news - Saturday, Feb. 15, 2025

Resisting police

Two local men were sentenced to serve time after pleading guilty to resisting police.

Brian W. Thompson, 57, Portland, pleaded guilty in Jay Superior Court to resisting law enforcement, a Level 6 felony. Thompson was sentenced to one year in Indiana Department of Correction and assessed $189 in court costs. As part of his plea agreement, two Class A misdemeanors for operating a vehicle with an alcohol concentration equivalent to 0.15% or more and operating a vehicle while intoxicated endangering a person were dismissed.

Ricky L. Reynolds, 56, 13581 Hillgrove Fort Recovery Road, Fort Recovery, Ohio, pleaded guilty in Jay Circuit Court to resisting law enforcement, a Level 6 felony. He was sentenced to 1.5 years at Jay County Jail with all but 60 days suspended and given credit for time served. Reynolds was placed on probation and assessed $189 in court costs. As part of his plea agreement, a Level 6 felony for possession of methamphetamine, a Class B misdemeanor for possession of marijuana and a Class C misdemeanor for possession of paraphernalia were dismissed.

Theft

Two Jay County residents were sentenced to jail after pleading guilty to theft.

Dillion W. Stolz, 33, 5211 N. 350 East, Portland, pleaded guilty in Jay Superior Court to the Level 6 felony. He was sentenced to one year in Jay County Jail and given 260 days credit for time served. Stolz was assessed $189 in court costs.

Kyle C. Hunt, 37, 31 West Leisure Lane, Dunkirk, pleaded guilty in Jay Superior Court to the Level 6 felony. He was sentenced to one year in Jay County Jail and given 216 days credit for time served. Hunt was fined $25 and assessed $189 in court costs.

Auto theft

A Redkey woman was placed on probation after she pleaded guilty to auto theft.

Kiley R. Williams, 18, 309 West High St., Redkey, pleaded guilty in Jay Superior Court to the Level 6 felony. She was sentenced to one year in Jay County Jail with all but two days suspended and given two days credit for time served. 

Williams was fined $25, assessed $189 in court costs and placed on probation for 363 days.

Criminal trespassing

A Kokomo man was sentenced to jail after pleading guilty to criminal trespassing, a Class A misdemeanor, in Jay Superior Court.

Christopher Hollingsworth, 36, 1727 Kensington On Berkley, was sentenced to 258 days in Jay County Jail and given 258 days credit for time served. He was assessed $189 in court costs. As part of his plea agreement, a Level 6 felony for residential entry and a habitual offender enhancement were dismissed.

Burglary

A Kansas man was sentenced to seven years in prison for burglary.

William E. Alexander, 30, Pittsburg, Kansas, pleaded guilty in Jay Circuit Court to the Level 4 felony. He was sentenced to 7 years in Indiana Department of Correction with four years suspended and given credit for time served. Alexander was assessed $189 in court costs. He was recommended for purposeful incarceration, meaning upon completing a substance abuse treatment program the court would consider modifying his sentence. 

As part of his plea agreement, the following charges were dismissed: a Level 5 felony for burglary, a Level 6 felony for unlawful possession of a syringe, a Class A misdemeanor for theft and a Class B misdemeanor for possession of marijuana. 

Sexual misconduct

A Portland man was sentenced to prison for engaging in sexual misconduct with a minor.

Derrick A. Miller, 43, 701 South Western Ave., Portland, pleaded guilty in Jay Circuit Court to the Level 5 felony. He was sentenced to four years in Indiana Department of Correction with two years suspended and given credit for time served. Miller was placed on probation and assessed $189 in court costs. 

As part of his plea agreement, a Level 6 felony for failure to register as a sex offender or violent offender was dismissed.

Found guilty

A Dunkirk woman was sentenced to six years in prison after she was found guilty in court of drug possession and related charges.

Lizabeth A. Denney, 45, was found guilty by a Jay Circuit Court jury of the following: possession of a narcotic drug, a Level 4 felony; possession of methamphetamine, a Level 4 felony; maintaining a common nuisance, a Level 6 felony; and possession of paraphernalia, a Class A misdemeanor.

She was sentenced to six years in Indiana Department of Correction with four years suspended and given credit for time served. She was placed on home detention for two years, assessed $189 in court costs and charged a $200 drug abuse, prosecution, interdiction and correction fee.

Narcotic drug

A Pennville woman was sentenced to jail for possession of a narcotic drug.

Rebecca N. Foy, 24, 235 E. Maple St., Pennville, pleaded guilty in Jay Superior Court to the Level 6 felony. She was sentenced to one year in Jay County Jail with all but 90 days suspended and given 68 days credit for time served. 

Foy was assessed $189 in court costs, ordered to pay a $200 drug abuse, prosecution, interdiction and correction fee and placed on probation for 275 days.

Methamphetamine

Five Indiana residents were sentenced to serve time for possession of methamphetamine.

Tara L. Rogers, 47, 347 N Charles St., Parker City, pleaded guilty in Jay Circuit Court to possession of methamphetamine, a Level 6 felony. She was sentenced to one year in Jay County Jail with all of her sentence suspended and placed on probation. Rogers was assessed $189 in court costs and ordered to pay a $200 drug abuse, prosecution, interdiction and correction fee. Also, in a separate Jay Circuit Court case, Rogers pleaded guilty to another Level 6 felony charge for possession of methamphetamine. She was sentenced to one year at Jay County Jail and given credit for time served. Rogers’ sentence was suspended, and she was placed on probation. She was assessed $189 in court costs and ordered to pay a $200 drug abuse, prosecution, interdiction and correction fee.

Amber N. Hicks, 40, 1958 S. 825 West, Portland, pleaded guilty in Jay Circuit Court to possession of methamphetamine, a Level 5 felony. She was sentenced to five years in Indiana Department of Correction and given credit for time served. Hicks was assessed $189 in court costs and ordered to pay a $200 drug abuse, prosecution, interdiction and correction fee. She was recommended for purposeful incarceration, meaning upon completing a substance abuse treatment program the court would consider modifying her sentence. As part of her plea agreement, two Level 6 felonies for maintaining a common nuisance and unlawful possession of a syringe and a Class C misdemeanor for possession of paraphernalia were dismissed and a notice to seek a habitual offender status was withdrawn.

Robert B. Hall, 50, 416 East Main St., Portland, pleaded guilty in Jay Superior Court to possession of methamphetamine, a Level 6 felony. He was sentenced to one year in Jay County Jail and given 354 days credit for time served. Hall was fined $25, assessed $189 in court costs and ordered to pay a $200 drug abuse, prosecution, interdiction and correction fee.

Donald J. Weesner, 27, Portland, pleaded guilty in Jay Circuit Court to possession of methamphetamine, a Level 5 felony. He was sentenced to three years in Indiana Department of Correction and given credit for time served. Weesner was assessed $189 in court costs. As part of his plea agreement, a Level 6 felony for unlawful possession of a syringe and a Class B misdemeanor for public intoxication were dismissed.

Rita K. Micheau, 57, 1958 S. 825 West, Portland, pleaded guilty in Jay Circuit Court to possession of methamphetamine, a Level 5 felony. She was sentenced to four years in Indiana Department of Correction, assessed $189 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 Level 6 felony for unlawful possession of a syringe, a Class A misdemeanor for possession of paraphernalia and a habitual offender enhancement.  In a separate case, Micheau pleaded guilty to another count of possession of methamphetamine, another Level 5 felony. She was sentenced to four years in Indiana Department of Correction and given credit for time served. (She was ordered to serve her sentence consecutive to the first sentence.) Micheau was assessed $189 in court costs and ordered to pay a $200 drug abuse, prosecution, interdiction and correction fee. 

Unlawful possession

Three Indiana residents were sentenced to jail after pleading guilty to unlawful possession of a syringe.

Laken Robbins, 35, 1209 West 17th St., Muncie, pleaded guilty in Jay Superior Court to the Level 6 felony. She was sentenced to 540 days in Jay County Jail and given 79 days credit for time served. Robbins was fined $25 and assessed $189 in court costs. As part of her plea agreement, three Level 6 felony charges for possession of a narcotic drug, possession of methamphetamine and identity deception were dismissed.

Betty J. Leone, 30, 307 E. Charles St., Muncie, pleaded guilty in Jay Circuit Court to the Level 6 felony. She was sentenced to one year in Jay County Jail with all of her sentence suspended and given 186 days credit for time served. Leone was assessed $189 in court costs and placed on probation. As part of her plea agreement, a Class B misdemeanor for possession of marijuana was dismissed.

Joseph A. Winget, 34, 19 North Oak St., Redkey, pleaded guilty in Jay Superior Court to the Level 6 felony. He was sentenced to one year in Jay County Jail and given 196 days credit for time served. Winget was fined $25 and assessed $189 in court costs. As part of his plea agreement, a Class C misdemeanor for operating a vehicle while intoxicated was dismissed.