Several sentencing hearings were held in Starke Circuit Court this week where some heavy sentences were handed down to drug offenders.
Joseph Lippner pleaded guilty in a plea agreement with the state to a charge of Dealing in a Controlled Substance (heroin) as a Class B felony. Judge Kim Hall accepted the plea agreement and sentenced Lippner to ten years in the Indiana Department of Corrections with no part of the sentence suspended. As part of the plea agreement, he waived his right to appeal his sentence. He will be able to participate a therapeutic community while incarcerated.
Kane Wilson was sentenced to ten years in the Indiana Department of Corrections with no part of the sentence suspended after he pleaded guilty in a plea agreement with the state to a charge of Dealing in Methamphetamine, a Class B felony. He may participate in the CLIFF or GRIP program while incarcerated.
Seth Konrad pleaded guilty in a plea agreement with the state to a charge of Dealing in Methamphetamine as a Class B felony. Judge Kim Hall accepted Konrad’s plea agreement which called for a sentence of ten years in the DOC with two years suspended. He will serve two years on probation. He may also participate in a therapeutic community while incarcerated.
Lavotis French received a sentence of six years in the DOC with three years suspended after pleading guilty in a plea agreement with the state to a charge of Dealing in a I, II, III Controlled Substance, a Class B felony. She was permitted to serve the sentence on home detention. French will also serve three years on probation. She was ordered to participate in substance abuse counseling and any other recommended programs.
A 12-month sentence was issued to Dennis Salyer as he pleaded guilty in a plea agreement with the state to charges of Possession of Paraphernalia and Possession of Marijuana, both misdemeanor charges. He was ordered to serve 12 months on each count but those sentences were to be served concurrently, or at the same time. Salyer will serve his sentence in the Starke County Jail.
