Cloverdale man gets eight-year sentence for sexual misconduct

Friday, January 20, 2017
James Campbell

Following a November guilty plea, a 37-year-old Cloverdale man was given an eight-year sentence on Friday for sexual misconduct involving a girl less than half his age.

Under the terms of a plea agreement between defense attorney Austin Malayer and Prosecutor Tim Bookwalter, James Jason Cambpell was sentenced to eight years with the Indiana Department of Correction, with six years executed and the balance on probation.

Campbell could have been sentenced during his change-of-plea hearing in November, but Putnam Superior Court Judge Denny Bridges granted Malayer’s request for a 60-day delay in order for Campbell to complete a Putnam County Jail program he believed was benefitting him.

Bridges accepted the plea agreement entered by the attorneys with very limited discussion during the hearing.

Under Indiana law, a Level 4 felony is punishable by a sentence ranging from 2-12 years. Campbell will have to serve at least four years and six months of his six executed years.

He was also ordered to have no contact with the victim once he is on probation.

Under questioning in November, Campbell admitted to having sexual intercourse with a girl older than 14 but less than 16 at the time.

The Nov. 1, 2015 incident was originally investigated as a rape.

According to court documents, the incident occurred in Campbell’s car parked in a small clearing or pull-off southwest of Cloverdale near the intersection of County Roads 1250 South and 100 West.

The 15-year-old victim’s mother had called authorities to report her daughter missing about 2:30 a.m. Nov. 1.

When the teenager returned home about three hours later, she told an older sister she had been raped. Police were notified about those allegations at 9:30 a.m., court documents show.

Capt. Tom Helmer of the Putnam County Sheriff’s Department and Owen County deputies investigated, collecting evidence that included a towel stained with bodily fluids.

Campbell and the victim were considered “very good friends” and she routinely referred to him as “Uncle Jason” because of her family’s relationship with Campbell and his significant other, according to the probable cause affidavit filed in the case.