From Decatur County Prosecutor Nathan Harter
Colton Lee Roberts has pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 3 years by Judge Matthew Bailey in the Decatur Superior Court for Sexual Misconduct, a Level 5 Felony, and Official Misconduct, a Level 6 Felony. The plea deal gave discretion to the judge, with a range of one year to six years and a cap on the time in prison of three years. Ultimately, Judge Bailey imposed the following sentence: two years will be served as an executed sentence in the Department of Correction, and a third year will be served on probation.
Chief Deputy Prosecutor Doug Brown presented the case for the State of Indiana, and the victim testified at the sentencing hearing.
Prosecuting Attorney Nate Harter commented, “Our system of justice depends upon trusting that inmates are safe when they are custody. Their liberty is already sacrificed, and we must protect the accused from harm whenever possible. Here, an employee of the Sheriff’s Department abused his power and sexually assaulted an inmate. I am grateful that the victim was heard and that the court agreed that prison is appropriate accountability for what the defendant did.”
According to the affidavit of probable cause filed with the court, what’s alleged involved a female inmate at the Decatur County Detention Center and occurred in August of 2020.
