‘High-risk defendant’ sentenced to time served

Thursday, March 16, 2023
Putnam County Courthouse

A 41-year-old Bainbridge man with a criminal record of 21 different arrests in 10 states was sentenced Wednesday afternoon following a change of plea hearing in Putnam Superior Court.

As a result of a plea agreement, Johnathan E. Hyde pleaded guilty to possession of methamphetamine in an amount of 10-28 grams, a Level 4 felony.

As a result, remaining counts against him in an April 7, 2021 incident were dismissed. Those included of invasion of privacy/violation of a protective order, possession of paraphernalia, resisting law enforcement and leaving the scene of an accident.

Compounding the case, authorities noted, was that Hyde’s alleged co-defendant and witness in the case was killed in a traffic accident in Florida.

Judge Denny Bridges pointed out that although Hyde is “listed as a high-risk defendant,” he has achieved trusty status at the Putnam County Jail and has been part of a work crew there that aids the community.

Hyde acknowledged that he has provided “quite a bit of help around the county where I could.”

The probation officer had recommended an eight-year sentence for Hyde, Judge Bridges noted.

“I was leaning toward 10 years,” Bridges admitted before sentencing Hyde to eight years in the Indiana Department of Correction, suspended but for time served (474 days at the jail). The last two years will be on informal probation.

While his Putnam County charges were essentially dispatched, Hyde still had a Level 4 felony case pending in Montgomery County.

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  • I respect Judge Bridges but in this case I just don't agree with this decision. This man basically got a walk when the prosecutor should have applied Habitual Offender.

    -- Posted by Workingthesoil on Sat, Mar 18, 2023, at 9:11 AM
  • Another slap on the wrist .. shocker! 🙄

    -- Posted by lisa3 on Sat, Mar 18, 2023, at 11:40 PM
  • Ridiculous. Stop giving these thugs breaks. That's why they keep committing crimes.

    -- Posted by Queen53 on Sun, Mar 19, 2023, at 10:54 PM
  • So Bridges is going to throw the book at you, but will reduce your sentence to nothing if you join the unpaid labor program! A clear message to the inmates. Also saves on the budget when ordinary jobs are being done with slave labor.

    -- Posted by Raker on Mon, Mar 20, 2023, at 11:06 AM
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