DECATUR COUNTY, IN — Fifty-five-year-old Darrell Trent (pictured) pleaded guilty and was sentenced Tuesday to six years in prison by Decatur Circuit Judge Tim Day for Robbery (Level 3 Felony), three counts of Criminal Recklessness for pointing a firearm at three people (each count Level 6 felonies), and for interfering with a person’s use of the 911 system (Class A Misdemeanor).
The charges stemmed from an incident in the early morning hours of January 15, 2021, at an apartment on Brockwood Drive in Greensburg to which several city police officers responded.
Ultimately, Assistant Chief Brandon Meyer used a less-lethal beanbag round to subdue Trent.
Investigators say the incident happened after a dispute between Trent and the other three people following a night of drinking.
“This plea agreement was crafted in consultation with the victims in this case as being in the best interest of justice,” said Decatur County Prosecutor Nate Harter. “Mr. Trent’s actions appear to have been fueled by substance abuse, but the victims in his family wanted what is best for his long-term health.”
While the parties agreed to the length of the sentence, Judge Day was given the discretion to decide whether the sentence should be served locally on home detention or in the Department of Correction (DOC) with treatment.
Judge Day adopted the State’s recommendation that the maximum sentence should be served in prison.
“In this DOC program, defendants know that if they mess up the treatment, their full sentence will be served in prison,” Harter added. “If they learn and make progress, they can modify their sentence to home detention or even probation. Giving Mr. Trent the key to the prison struck me as the right outcome.”
To view this case’s Probable Cause Affidavit, click here.
