Melanie M. Conley

KOSCIUSKO — A Servia woman was sentenced in Kosciusko Circuit Court Monday, Dec. 3, on charges related to drugs and theft.  

Melanie May Conley, 23, 35 Main St., Servia, pleaded guilty to possession of methamphetamine, a level 5 felony; possession of a narcotic drug, a level 6 felony; theft, a class A misdemeanor; and possession of paraphernalia, a class C misdemeanor.

An officer with the Warsaw Police Department responded to a theft call at Kohl’s on June 4. A Kohl’s employee advised that a female selected and concealed a pair of shorts, walking past all points of pay without purchasing the shorts. Employees were able to obtain the registration plate from the vehicle the female left in. The officer was provided with surveillance video of the theft.

Another officer observed the described vehicle and conducted a traffic stop near Briar Ridge Apartments. Conley was identified as the passenger in the vehicle and was wearing the same shorts that she had allegedly taken from Kohl’s. The officers obtained all of Conley’s possessions from the vehicle.

According to the affidavit of probable cause, a one-hitter used for ingesting marijuana was discovered in Conley’s wallet. Inside the vehicle, a pill container with hydrocodone pills, scales and a gray t-shirt were discovered.

Conley reportedly admitted to officers that she stole the shorts from Kohl’s by placing them over the shorts she was already wearing and further admitted to stealing the gray t-shirt that officers found in the vehicle. Conley advised that she did not have a prescription for the hydrocodone pills.

After Conley was transported to the Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Department, jail officers conducted a search of her person. They discovered two smoking devices with white residue and seven plastic bags containing methamphetamine that weighed a total of 10.6 grams.

Conley’s attorney, Karin McGrath, told Judge Michael Reed that a pre-sentence investigation report indicated a low risk for reoffending. 

“I hope you do take advantage of some treatment,” Reed said to Conley today in court. “If you don’t, this is just another chapter in a bad story.”

Reed sentenced Conley to three years at the Indiana Department of Corrections for the possession of methamphetamine charge but ordered the sentence to be suspended and served on formal probation. 

Conley was sentenced to one year in the Kosciusko County Jail for the charge of possession of a narcotic drug. For the charge of theft, Reed sentenced Conley to 180 days in the Kosciusko County Jail and for possession of paraphernalia, Conley was sentenced to 60 days in the Kosciusko County Jail. Reed suspended all but one year of the sentence. He stated he would have no objection to the executed portion of the sentence being served through the work release program or the community corrections program if Conley is qualified and remains qualified. 

Conley was ordered to participate in moral reconation therapy. She received two days of jail time credit. Pursuant to the plea agreement, remaining charges were dismissed.