By Meladi Brewer

DailyAdvocate.com

GREENVILLE — Seth S. Baker was sentenced to 11 years for drugs. Judge Jonathan P. Hein presided.

Baker, 32, of Muncie, Ind., entered a guilty plea to the amended charge of one count of possession of fentanyl, a felony of the first degree. As part of the plea agreement, the major drug offense due the quantity of drugs was dropped and count two and three were dismissed.

Count one had a mandatory 11 years prison sentence and a mandatory $10,000 fine. He will be required to pay a $195 restitution as well. Baker apologized to the court and said “he just wants to try and correct it, that’s all.”

Shawn Martin, 52, of Greenville, entered a guilty plea to the amended count one of what was a three count indictment. Count one, trafficking in methamphetamine, a felony of the second degree was lowered to a felony of the third degree after the specification was dismissed. He faced a maximum of zero to three years in prison and anywhere from a $5,000 to $10,000 fine. Before sentencing, Martin admitted to having a drug problem to the court.

“I know my background is not the best. I did my time for that, and I can’t make excuses,” Martin said.

Martin was sentenced to 12 months incarceration with jail time credit with a mandatory $5,000 fine. Upon release from prison, there is an optional two year post release control that could be imposed. Martin would have the opportunity to apply for possible judicial release.

Ethan E. Louk, 29, of Greenville, entered a not guilty plea of noncompliance on the original charge of attempted felonious assault, a felony of the third degree. He allegedly failed to report and currently has pending misdemeanor charges in Montgomery County for obstructing official business. If found guilty, he could be incarcerated for 18 months.

Louk advised the court he failed to report because he got his days mixed up with a job interview he had stating “I was under the impression of unsupervised probation and dropped the ball on communication. I am not a flight risk.”

Judge Hein appointed David Rohrer to represent Louk after a drawn out discussion of finances and help. Louk originally stated to the court he would like to be granted a personal recognizance bond due to having work and family to take care of. He also stated how much savings he has, and the amount did not qualify him for appointed counsel due to being able to obtain one himself.

Judge Hein posted bail at $30,000, and Louk changed his story saying he does not have a way to hire a lawyer because he is stuck in jail and does not have anyone who could help him obtain a lawyer. Judge Hein posed the question that Louk does not have one family member willing to take care of him when he takes care of everyone else before appointing Rohrer to represent Louk.

Louk became verbally excited and asked Judge Hein if he could just plead guilty to get the process over with before continuously giving more reasons why he needs to be out of jail. Judge Hein told Louk he could always plead guilty, but he was not going to allow him to yet because he did not think Louk would want to do that since “the next place you (Louk) show up might now be where you think you want to go.”

“We’re going to give somebody else the fair opportunity to give you an opportunity to be heard before I get to figure out if you’re trying to bulls**t me like you have the last five times you showed up,” Judge Hein said.

He set Louk’s next court appearance for Jan. 13 with one final saying – “I promise I won’t be there.”

To contact Daily Advocate Reporter Meladi Brewer, email [email protected].