DECATUR COUNTY, IN — Gary Andrew Moore pleaded guilty and was sentenced Tuesday by Decatur Circuit Judge Tim Day for Unlawful Possession of a Syringe and for being a Habitual Offender.
Both the prosecution and defense agreed that the possession charge should result in 372 days behind bars and the sentence enhancement for being a Habitual Offender would be determined by the Court.
Judge Day ordered the rest of the sentence to be 1,095 days (three years) for a total sentence of 1,467 days (just over four years) in the Indiana Department of Corrections.
The charges against Moore stem from a September 2020 traffic stop that, investigators say, yielded the illegal item.
During the sentencing hearing, testimony was given that Moore had a lengthy criminal history in several Indiana counties, including convictions in 1993, 1995, 1996 (three), 1998, 1999, 2002, 2007 (two), 2011, 2013, 2014 (two), 2016 (two), 2018 (three), and 2021 before Tuesday’s hearing. His record also indicates he has 10 felony convictions.
It was also noted that Moore had previously received drug treatment through the Indiana Department of Corrections’ Purposeful Incarceration program.
“The criminal justice system gave Mr. Moore many chances to conform his behavior and to treat his addiction. We even went so far as to allow him access to treatment in exchange for leniency in his past,” said Decatur County Prosecutor Nate Harter. “There comes a time when we have to hold people accountable for their conduct.”
