Tarpley sentenced on drug charge
An Indianapolis woman was sentenced Thursday in Putnam County Circuit Court for a Class C felony count of possession of methamphetamine over 3 grams
Judge Matt Headley sentenced Nancy A. Tarpley, 51, to six years in prison with three years executed and three suspended. Under the terms of a plea agreement, a charge of Class A felony dealing in meth was dropped in exchange for Tarpley's guilty plea to the lesser charge.
Tarpley was represented in court by public defender James Ensley, who lobbied to have his client released on time served or put on a community corrections house arrest program.
Tarpley told the court her 18-year-old daughter was pregnant and being supported by Tarpley's 87-year-old father, and that she wanted to be released so she could help take care of her daughter, who had been ill throughout her pregnancy.
Tarpley was on probation in Marion County at the time of her arrest in Putnam County.
She was sentenced to two years on a possession of meth charge in Marion County on Aug. 21, 2007, and given a year's probation.
There is currently an open warrant for Tarpley's arrest in Marion County for violating her probation there.
Tarpley said she had completed a drug treatment program about a month and a half before she was arrested in Putnam County.
"As long as I was in treatment, I was fine," she said.
Tarpley said she did not come to Putnam County in July with any intention of procuring or using drugs, but when the opportunity to do so unexpectedly presented itself, she took it.
Tarpley said she was a passenger in her own vehicle, which was being driven by Michael L. Kolesar, 26, of Cloverdale on July 11. She said she was unaware that Kolesar was in possession of any drugs until he started smoking meth in the vehicle.
"Then I asked the young man if I could buy an 8-ball," Tarpley said. "I hadn't even gotten the 8-ball yet. I had the money for it in my pocket."
Headley said he would be willing to check back and see how Tarpley was doing in prison and would then entertain the idea of letting her serve any time she had left to do on home detention, but that she would have to "earn that right."
Tarpley has been in the Putnam County Jail since her arrested on July 11. She will receive credit for the 146 days she has served, and with Indiana good time credit will receive one day of credit for each day she serves in prison without incident.
Tarpley was arrested by Putnam County Sheriff's Department Officer Joe Tesmer during a traffic stop on Burma Road east of S.R. 243 in Cloverdale.
Tarpley had no drugs on her person at the time of the stop, but officers found a meth pipe, baggies containing crystal meth and spoons, court documents said.
Tarpley was found to have $4,886 in cash in her possession when the traffic stop occurred. Tarpley told police the money was for buying and selling the meth and that she knew the drugs were in the car, but that the drugs and money were both Kolesar's.
Kolesar was charged with Class A felony dealing in meth and Class C felony possession of meth over 3 grams.
He is set to go to trial on the charges on Jan. 14.