Charlie Carlisle, Sr., of Donaldson was sentenced Wednesday, August 20, in Marshall Superior Court number 1 to 10 years imprisonment for possessing a handgun as a serious violent felon. In open court, Carlisle admitted that on December 19, 2013, he possessed a handgun and sold it to another individual, and that he had at least one felony conviction in his past.
Judge Robert O. Bowen approved an agreement reached between Chief Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Nelson Chipman and defense attorney Richard Ballard of Knox, which provided that upon a plea of guilty to the charge a sentence of 10 years imprisonment in the Indiana Department of Corrections would be imposed, four years of the sentence would be suspended, and Carlisle could argue to have his sentence served on home detention.
Chipman argued against the home detention possibility noting Community Corrections Director Ward Byers had rejected Carlisle’s request. In addition, Marshall County Probation Officer Abby Caswell’s Pre-sentence Investigation and Written Report pointed to that the nature of the offense, Carlisle’s background and his answers to some of her questions led her to recommend that home detention be denied. After hearing all of the evidence, Judge Bowen agreed with the State and denied the home detention request and ordered Carlisle remanded to the Sheriff for transport to the Department of Corrections.
The case began on December 19, 2013 when Patrolman Travis Oneal of the Marshall County Sheriff’s Department was dispatched to a residence on Lilac Road. Two individuals there reported purchasing a handgun from Carlisle and wanted to check to make sure it was not stolen. Oneal’s investigation revealed that indeed the handgun had been reported stolen in Sarasota County, Florida. Further investigation revealed that Carlisle had a felony record, one of which was a B felony burglary which by law designated him as a serious violent felon. It is unlawful for any serious violent felon to possess any type of gun, operable or not, registered or not.
After allowing Carlisle to explain his version of the events, Oneal arrested him and he has been held in the Marshall County Jail since December 20, 2013, awaiting disposition.
Chipman expressed his appreciation to the citizens that made the call to make sure the gun was legal, which it was not, and praised Oneal for a thorough investigation.
