BEDFORD – Lawrence County Superior Court II Judge Robert Cline sentenced a Springville man to seven years in the Indiana Department of Corrections Thursday.
William George Neighbors, 32, pled guilty to operating a motor vehicle as a habitual traffic violation and possession of meth, both Level 6 felonies with a habitual offender enhancement as part of a negotiated plea agreement with the State of Indiana.
The plea agreement, negotiated by a Lawrence County Deputy Prosecutor in 2022, outlined that Neighbors would plead open to all counts; however, would be allowed to participate in Lawrence County’s Drug Court Problem-Solving Court in order to remain in Lawrence County and be a productive member of the community.
However, after numerous violations of the Problem-Solving Court rules, Judge Cline sentenced Neighbors to two years for the felonies and five years on the habitual offender enhancement for a total of seven years in the Department of Corrections.
“Each individual who is given the opportunity to participate in Drug Court is expected to work hard, show up, be honest, and make the changes necessary to live a productive, substance-free life,” said Prosecuting Attorney Samuel C. Arp II. “This Defendant was given that opportunity, but when a defendant chooses to violate the terms of Drug Court, prison is a natural consequence of those choices.”
“Each individual who participates in Drug Court is aware that this program is hard and the expectations are high,” said Deputy Prosecutor Sarah Cummings, the assigned prosecutor to Drug Court added, “This program requires a lot of time, energy, and dedication in bettering of the participant. However, if a person isn’t going, to be honest and work hard, then serving a prison sentence is a possible outcome.”
