Reality hits home as suspect held on $50,000 cash bond

Reality and the seriousness of the charges against a 55-year-old Bainbridge man didn’t seem to set in until his initial court appearance was nearly over Monday afternoon.

Robert E. Glaze Jr. is facing nine felony charges -- including six Level 1 counts of child molestation -- stemming from alleged incidents over the period Sept. 29, 2015-Nov. 28, 2016.

His wife, April D. Glaze, 35, is facing three Level 6 felony charges, essentially for failing to report the alleged actions of her husband while knowingly aware of what he was reportedly doing with two underage girls.

They were arrested Saturday by Bainbridge Town Marshal Rodney Fenwick and are incarcerated at the Putnam County Jail.

Putnam Circuit Court Judge Matt Headley entered not-guilty pleas to all 12 charges for the Glazes, who appeared separately but back to back in his court.

On the recommendation of Putnam County Prosecutor Timothy Bookwalter, Headley ordered Robert Glaze held on $50,000 cash-only bond “due to the severity of the charges.”

That’s where the confusion began for the defendant.

“Are you talking fifteen-hundred dollars?” Glaze asked the judge.

“No,” Judge Headley said calmly and deliberately, “fifty-thousand dollars.”

“That’s a lot of money,” the defendant replied.

Headley agreed, adding that the Level 1 charges against Glaze are “the highest-level felony range there is in the state of Indiana.”

“These are significant charges, these are serious crimes,” the judge said, noting that should Glaze somehow post bond, he is to have no contact with the alleged victims despite them being related to the couple.

Judge Headley detailed the nine felony counts against Robert Glaze, six stemming from sexual misconduct ranging from inappropriate touching on up.

“I didn’t do this,” Glaze said with no attorney present to quiet him. “I can’t have sex.”

Headley told him with bond set and the not-guilty plea entered, he was being remanded to the Putnam County Jail.

“How much (time) are we looking at?” Glaze asked the judge.

Headley initially told him a maximum 308 years (quoting 50 years for each of the six Level 1 felonies plus 1-6 years for a Level 5 count and 6-30 months for a Level 6 charge).

In reality, it’s more like 248 years (40 years max on each of the six Level 1 counts under the new code plus the rest).

“I don’t know if I’ll be able to make it that long,” Glaze said matter of factly.

Seemingly of more immediate concern to him, Glaze told the court he needed to take care of his dog, apparently left behind at his Bainbridge home. Realizing he wouldn’t be free to do so, he said he’d have his wife take care of it.

“She’s charged in this too,” the judge reminded him.

And April D. Glaze followed her husband into the courtroom Monday for her initial appearance.

Charged with two counts of neglect of a dependent and one count of dissemination of matter harmful to minors (sexual videos or images), she faces a maximum of 7-1/2 years in jail if convicted of the three Level 6 felonies.

She was ordered held on $10,000 cash bond “due to the allegations occurring and the severity of them,” Judge Headley noted.

Like her husband, she can have no contact with the reported victims if she bonds out.

While April Glaze’s family is hiring an attorney for her, Judge Headley will be appointing legal counsel for her husband. Headley said Monday he wanted to talk to a couple of attorney candidates before committing to anyone.

Robert E. Glaze Jr. is facing the following charges:

-- Six separate counts of child molesting as a Level 1 felony, punishable by 20-40 years in prison.

-- Two counts of child exploitation (one per alleged victim) as a Level 5 felony, punishable by 1-6 years in prison.

-- One count of possession of child pornography, a Level 6 felony, punishable by 6-30 months in prison.

The case came to light in late November when one of the girls disclosed alleged inappropriate touching by Robert Glaze.