GREENVILLE — Sarah E. Bauer, 31, of Fountain City, Indiana received a sentence in Darke County Common Pleas Court, Friday, Jan. 20.
Bauer pled guilty, Dec. 14, 2016, to a third-degree felony charge of illegal conveyance of drugs of abuse onto the grounds of a detention facility. At that time, she denied having drugs hidden in her bra. She was represented in court by Defense Attorney Randall E. Breaden.
Highlights of Bauer’s prior criminal convictions in Wayne County, Indiana courts include pending methamphetamine possession and auto theft charges. Her last arrest was on Jan. 3 in Wayne County, where she is still incarcerated, according to court records.
Darke County Prosecuting Attorney R. Kelly Ormsby told the court that as part of the plea agreement, the state recommend community control sanctions.
“We weren’t sure exactly how we were going to work that out, because I was not certain how long her Indiana situation is going to continue,” Ormsby said.
Breaden agreed that a community control sanction was appropriate.
“Ms. Bauer’s problem is very clear on two or three pages of criminal activity of which about 100 percent of that could be attributed to her substance abuse addictions,” he said. “I am inclined to recommend we give her six days with six days jail credit, order restitution, order court costs, and have her returned to Indiana to face the music over there in April of this year.”
Common Pleas Court Judge Jonathan Hein took the attorneys’ recommendations. He ordered Bauer to six days in Darke County Jail with six days credit, $125 worth of restitution and court costs. To save Darke County resources, he sent Bauer back to Indiana and the Wayne County Court.
“I’ve been a drug addict for the past 10 or 12 years and I’ve never been offered any help,” Bauer said. “These charges I’ve caught really made me see what I am out there doing. I need accountability – I have no responsibilities. I need a reason for me not to relapse or get high. I have a very supportive family and they do not enable.”
“You don’t support your family,” Hein said. “When people have to show up and walk their baby girl through the system and their baby girl is 31, when their baby girl says, ‘nobody got me any help’ when in fact it’s your job to get you help, when you don’t find substance abuse programs, it’s not the probation officer’s job to get you in a program – it’s your job.”
“Denying you have a problem is what this is all about,” Hein added.