A Knox man was sentenced in Starke Circuit Court last week on two counts of dealing in a narcotic drug as a Level 5 felony.
Kyle Seals admitted to Starke Circuit Court Judge Kim Hall that he sold heroin to the same confidential informant on Aug. 12, 2018 and Aug. 29, 2018 at a location in Knox.
Seals pleaded guilty to both charges in a plea agreement negotiated by his defense attorney, Richard Ballard, and Starke County Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Micah Cox. The sentence would be discretionary with a cap of two years on each count.
While determining a discretionary sentence during a plea hearing last week, Judge Hall noted that Seals has shown that he made positive changes while being held in the Starke County Justice Center. Warden Phill Cherry submitted a letter that stated that Seals worked on woodworking projects while incarcerated and he worked as a trustee in the kitchen. He was also in the welding program. He also completed the Intensive Outpatient Program. They were admitted as mitigating factors in the case, or factors that were weighed in his favor.
Judge Hall sentenced Seals to two years in the Indiana Department of Corrections on each count of dealing in a narcotic drug as a Level 5 Felony which will be served consecutively for a total of four years. No part of the sentences was suspended. Seals was permitted to serve his sentence on home detention with electronic monitoring through Starke County Court Services. He will also need to participate in programs as recommended by Starke County Court Services. He was ordered to pay a $250 drug interdiction fee and court costs. He may petition the court for a sentence modification at any time.
