(BEDFORD) – A Bloomington man was sentenced to five years to the Department of Corrections today on a charge of possession of a narcotic drug.
Richard L. Chandler, 32, was sentenced Thursday by Superior Court II Judge William Sleva. Judge Sleva gave Chandler credit for 116 days served. Chandler was also fined $185.
“Richard Chandler has a lengthy criminal history. He should be sentenced to 5 years in prison, all to serve with the Recovery While Incarcerated Program,” said Chief Deputy Prosecutor Bob Cline during closing at Richard Chandler’s sentencing hearing.
According to a probable cause affidavit, Chandler was arrested on Tuesday, December 31, 2019, at 1:18 p.m. after his vehicle was spotted by another Indiana State trooper at the Speedway Gas Station at the intersection of State Road 37 and US 50.
Police knew Chandler and his female passenger were both wanted on warrants in Monroe County.
Chandler’s vehicle was stopped.
While ISP Trooper Caleb Garvin was speaking to Chandler, he noticed a digital scale in the driver’s door as well as a metal Altoids container in the driver’s door.
Chandler was placed into handcuffs after confirming the active warrant.
During a search of his pockets police found a folded up one-dollar bill that contained a rock-like substance that tested positive of heroin.
During a search of the vehicle, police found a red container in the backseat floorboard behind the front passenger seat and a black box in the trunk that contained numerous bags of unused hypodermic syringes, a blue rubber tie off, several clear plastic bags and a red tin container. Inside the tin were four clear plastic bags. Inside one of the clear plastic bags was a crystal substance that tested positive for meth. All together police found half a gram of heroin.
