Deal sentenced to four years of home detention

The homeowner involved in a June 2013 methamphetamine bust near Reelsville has been sentenced to four years of home detention for her involvement.

Ronda Deal, 54, appeared in Putnam Superior Court Friday for a change of plea and sentencing hearing.

In pleading guilty to possession of methamphetamine (more than three grams), a Class C felony, Deal was given an eight-year sentence, with four years to be executed on home detention.

As part of the plea agreement, Deal's charges of Class A felony conspiracy to deal in methamphetamine, D felony maintaining a common nuisance and D felony receiving stolen property were dropped.

Deal was one of eight people arrested at her 9730 S. CR 675 West home in the bust.

During the operation, police seized approximately a quarter-million dollars and nearly four pounds of methamphetamine.

Three of Deal's original co-defendants -- former boyfriend James Wright, Earl Minnick and Luis Calderon -- later had charges brought against them in federal court.

On Friday, Deal presented herself to the court as a reformed person, out of jail since October, not using drugs and beginning therapy for her emotional and drug issues.

Deal's attorney, Laura Paul, argued on her client's behalf that Deal has been compliant, has paid ahead on her fees and that federal prosecutors chose not do indict her on the conspiracy charges "which sort of indicates she was not part of the drug-dealing conspiracy."

However, Chief Deputy Prosecutor Justin Long pointed out that Deal was involved in a similar case in 2000 when she was arrested with then-husband John Deal.

In that case, Deal was sentenced only to the time she had already served, as John Deal was ruled to be the main culprit.

"I think it sends the wrong message to do time served again," Long said, saying the only real difference in the two cases was the man involved. "The only thing we're really firm on is to have a fully executed sentence."

Weighing the factors, Judge Denny Bridges said he was a little concerned with Deal's history of relapsing. He also said he understood that contributing factors to Deal's drug problems were tied to the deaths of her first husband, son and mother.

Bridges said he chose to go with home detention over prison because he felt the treatment Deal is seeking through Cummins Mental Health is better suited to her problems than treatment she could get through the Department of Correction.

"Good luck with your treatment," Bridges said. "Continue with that."

When the judge told Deal of her right to appeal the sentence, she seemed to recognize that the court was showing leniency.

"I'm fine with it (the sentence)," Deal said with a smile.

With a federal trial awaiting them on April 28, Wright, Calderon and Minnick are unlikely to find themselves so fortunate.

Wright, 46, Reelsville, is charged with conspiracy to possess and deal in methamphetamine and possession of methamphetamine with the intent to distribute methamphetamine.

Calderon, 43, Indianapolis, is charged with conspiracy to possess and deal in methamphetamine and distribution of 50 grams or more of methamphetamine.

Minnick, 50, Knightsville, is charged with conspiracy to possess and deal in methamphetamine.

If convicted, each charge carries a prison term between 10 years and life in federal prison. However, in each case, there are complicating circumstances.

An offender with one previous felony drug conviction faces a minimum of 20 years for each crime. An offender with more than one prior felony drug conviction faces a minimum sentence of life in prison.

With one previous conviction, Wright faces the possibility of a doubled sentence for conviction, meaning he would face a minimum of 40 years in prison if convicted and sentenced to consecutive terms.

For Minnick, although he faces only one charge, the news is even more harsh. With several prior drug convictions, he automatically faces the possibility of a life sentence in this case.

While Calderon, also known as Miguel A. LaSalle, has no previous convictions that authorities can find, he is an illegal alien, which represents an entirely different complicating factor.

Of the other four people involved in the initial case, charges of visiting a common nuisance against Lindsey Deal and Jacqueline Riser have been dropped.

Cases against Eric Girton and Brian Doane are both still open, but neither man faces any charges for dealing methamphetamine.