Defendant January mum as cordial courtroom prevails

Wesley January

Armed with a new attorney and apparently a new attitude, a 26-year-old Greencastle man made his initial appearance in court Wednesday following a brief attempt at the same last week.

Wesley January, whose courtroom visits have provided some misadventures over the past couple of years, is facing charges of dealing in marijuana, possession of marijuana, possession of paraphernalia and probation violation after his March 14 arrest at a South College Avenue residence.

After being tossed out of Putnam Superior Court by Judge Denny Bridges when he refused to acknowledge that he is Wesley Nathan January at a March 15 hearing, January saw things go a bit smoother this Wednesday.

First of all, he is now represented by attorney Scott Adams, whom he has hired after January’s court appearance last week. And secondly, he kept his conversation at a minimum this time.

Judge Bridges greeted him with, “How are you doing today, Wesley?” when it was time for January to move to the front of the courtroom.

Whether the judge’s use of January’s first name was intentional or just a coincidence is unknown, but he did get a better response than a week ago when the defendant bristled when he was referred to as the more formal “Mr. January” or “Wesley January.”

“I’m fine, how are you, judge?” January responded, making his only verbal comment of brief appearance.

That was in stark contrast to the week prior when he told the court, “I’m not Wesley January.”

After January continued to press the issue, Bridges ordered him out of the courtroom.

On Wednesday, Deputy Prosecutor Jim Ensley requested $10,000 cash-only bond with a bond review hearing in 60 days.

Adams, meanwhile, asked that his client be released on home detention.

Judge Bridges ordered a compromise with a $5,000 cash bond and home detention if January is deemed eligible. If he is not eligible, the cash bond will be $10,000.

January will also be subjected to random drug screens when and if he is on home detention.

A pretrial conference date of May 10 at 9 a.m. was set in the case, while a 9 a.m. May 17 bench trial remains in place in an earlier case of criminal trespass and disorderly conduct.

January’s latest arrest came after authorities were called to a South College Avenue home to assist the Department of Child Services in serving a court order on another person in another case.

During the investigation, officers observed several items of paraphernalia, more than 300 grams of marijuana, U.S. currency and several firearms, all apparently belonging to January.

It was during his court appearance in the May 2016 standoff case that January claimed to be a sovereign citizen -- answerable only to his interpretation of common law and not the laws of the United States or any state or municipality. He later pleaded guilty in a plea agreement to possession of marijuana as a Level 6 felony and was sentenced to two years with all but 180 days suspended.