BEDFORD — On Tuesday morning, Cherry Blattert pleaded guilty to a Class A misdemeanor charge of invasion of privacy in Lawrence County Superior Court I. This plea follows her arrest in December 2021 for violating a protective order issued by Judge John Plummer III, stemming from a prior case in 2019 involving allegations of child abuse against her and her husband, Scott Blattert.
As part of the plea agreement, Judge Plummer sentenced Cherry to 365 days in jail, crediting her for four days already served. He suspended 357 days of her sentence, which will be served on supervised probation.
Lawrence County Prosecutor Sam Arp is also moving forward with charges against Cherry Blattert, including neglect of a dependent resulting in bodily injury and domestic battery. Her trial begins on October 23 at 8:00 a.m. in Lawrence County Superior Court II, presided over by Judge Robert Cline. A final pretrial hearing is scheduled for today at 10:00 a.m.
Scott Blattert was previously found guilty in May 2023 of violently abusing their children, using industrial glue sticks and a belt. He was sentenced to 13 years in prison. During his sentencing, Scott claimed, “My actions were in response to their actions,” and insisted he was justified in his methods of discipline, appealing his conviction, which the Indiana Court of Appeals upheld.
Cherry testified during her husband’s trial, waiving her Fifth Amendment rights, meaning her statements could be used against her in her criminal case. She stated that the couple has 11 children, all of whom are currently living with foster families or have been adopted after their parental rights were terminated.
Throughout the trial, Cherry emphasized the importance of religion in their lives, asserting, “God is sovereign in all parts of our life.” She also articulated that Scott was the head of their household, stating, “The husband is the head of the house. He is the primary provider.”
The couple had previously attempted to use Indiana’s Religious Freedom Restoration Act as a defense, arguing that biblical references to discipline justified their actions. However, Judge Plummer rejected this defense, a ruling that the Indiana Court of Appeals later upheld.
