Judge Kim Hall Rejects Two Plea Agreements

Jacob Hanselman

Two plea agreements were rejected in the Starke Circuit Court on Thursday.

A plea agreement was rejected for Jacob Hanselman, who would have pleaded guilty to Trafficking with an Inmate as a Class C felony and two counts of Theft as Class D felonies. The court would have sentenced Hanselman to two years in the Department of Corrections, and he would have been required to pay restitution for damages and items that were stolen and not returned.

Judge Kim Hall rejected the agreement and a jury trial will take place on August 1 at 9 a.m. A pretrial motions and instructions hearing is set for July 31 at 1 p.m., with a jury status hearing on July 20 at 9 a.m. Hanselman has until July 19 to file an acceptable plea agreement.

Hanselman had been arrested after police investigated a burglary incident in the east 100 block of 400 South. A search warrant at Hanselman’s residence turned up several items that had been stolen from the residence.

Christopher Roloff would have pleaded guilty to two counts of Theft as Class D felonies and would have served three years in the Department of Corrections, with two years suspended to be served on probation, and pay a yet-to-be-determined amount in restitution. If the court permitted, he could have served the sentence on home detention.

Roloff’s plea agreement was rejected as well, and he has until June 7 to form a new acceptable agreement. His jury trial is set for June 20 at 9 a.m., with a pretrial motions and instructions hearing on June 19 at 1 p.m.