Two Plead Guilty to D Felonies in Starke Circuit Court

Starke County Courthouse

Two individuals plead guilty to the charges against them as part of plea agreements in the Starke Circuit Court.

Joshua Barlow, 25 of Knox, pleaded guilty to an enhanced charge of Operating a Vehicle While Intoxicated with a Previous Conviction as a Class D felony. He admitted that on March 17 he had driven his vehicle while over the legal limit of 0.08 percent blood-alcohol concentration after he had been previous arrested and convicted on the same charge within five years.

According to the plea agreement, Barlow will serve 13 months in the Department of Corrections with seven months suspended. Magistrate Jeanene Calabrese said he could serve the executed six months on home detention if the arrangements are made before his sentencing hearing. He will also serve seven months on probation following his executed sentence, and his license will be suspended for 12 months. His sentencing hearing is set for Nov. 16 at 9 a.m., at which time he must have completed his Community Corrections evaluation for home detention.

Forty-six-year-old Paul Rogers of Plymouth also pleaded guilty to a charge against him: Theft, as a Class D felony. He admitted that on April 29 he had stolen a license plate from Stacy Singleton, and the plea agreement calls for 18 months in the Department of Corrections with six months suspended. He will serve six months on probation, and if approved, he can serve his executed sentence on home detention.

Because his criminal record consists of only a Class A misdemeanor charge of Battery, Calabrese said she would allow him to petition for his D felony to be reduced to a Class A misdemeanor upon completion of his sentence. The state reserved the right to object.

Rogers’ sentencing hearing has been set for Nov. 16 at 9 a.m. as well, and he must have his evaluation completed through Community Corrections before that hearing to serve his sentence on home detention.