Two Sentenced in Starke Circuit Court

 A man was sentenced in Starke Circuit Court on Wednesday on two charges after a battery incident in North Judson on March 15.

Michael Hanley, Jr., 30, of North Judson pleaded guilty in a plea agreement with the state in September to a charge of criminal confinement as a Class C felony and residential entry as a Class D felony. He admitted in open court to entering the home of a North Judson man without consent and blocking the door so he couldn’t leave while a co-defendant allegedly battered the victim. The co-defendant’s case is still pending a resolution as he participates in drug rehab.

Judge Kim Hall accepted the plea agreement. On the charge of criminal confinement, Hanley was sentenced to six years in the Indiana Department of Corrections with three years suspended to be served on probation. He was sentenced to three years in the DOC with the entire sentence suspended on the charge of residential entry. Those sentences will be served concurrently, or at the same time. The balance of his sentence was permitted to be served on home detention with electronic monitoring with Starke County Community Corrections.

The judge may have the discretion of modifying the sentence after a hearing.

As part of the plea agreement, Hanley will participate in the Thinking for a Change program and any other programs recommended by the staff at Starke County Community Corrections.

He is to have no contact with the victim this case or the co-defendant while he serves his sentence.

Raymond Norem was sentenced on charges of possession of a controlled substance and possession of a legend drug after pleading guilty to those charges in a plea agreement with the state. Judge Hall accepted the agreement which called for a sentence of 18 months in the DOC with nine months suspended to be served on probation for each count. The sentences will run concurrently, or at the same time. The remainder of his sentence was permitted to be served on daily reporting home detention through Starke County Community Corrections.

It was also recommended in the plea agreement that Norem participate in any programs recommended by Starke County Community Corrections staff.