Sean Neal of Jasonville has been arrested numerous times and served several stints in prison and in the county jail. He was accused of receiving stolen property taken during a burglary of Shakamak School buses back in 2007, arrested in the burglary of the Bibleway Church in Linton in 2007, arrested in various cases involving strangulation and batteries, a jailhouse fight, threatening law enforcement officers and criminal mischief, and in 2012, he was arrested for possession of a homemade explosive device. Yesterday, a jury found him guilty of child molesting and of being a habitual felony offender.

Sean Douglas Neal, booking photo on Wednesday, March 4, 2021, following trial.

Sean Douglas Neal, 32, Jasonville, was taken into custody yesterday, Wednesday, March 3, and booked into the Greene County Jail around 8 p.m. to await sentencing.

Neal was arrested on Tuesday, March 10, 2020, on a warrant issued as a result of an investigation by Det. Sgt. Shawn Cullison of the Greene County Sheriff’s Department. Neal was accused of inappropriate touching of a child under the age of 14.

An initial incident report was taken by GCSD Deputy Camron Frye who talked to two individuals who alleged a child had been touched inappropriately by Neal on February 7, 2020. Sgt. Cullison was contacted and the alleged victim was then interviewed at Susie’s Place in Bloomington with Sgt. Cullison and a DCS case worker observing.

When Neal was interviewed, he denied touching the child in a sexual manner.

Following those interviews and more interviews with other family members, a case was filed against Neal in Greene Circuit Court.

Sean Douglas Neal, booking photo following arrest in March of 2020

When the warrant was issued, the judge specified Neal’s bond would be $25,000 surety with ten percent cash allowed. After he was booked into the Greene County Jail, Neal posted $2,500 and was released the same night. Since then, he has remained free on bond, until the conclusion of his jury trial yesterday.

On the same day Greene County Prosecutor Jarrod Holtsclaw filed the newest criminal case against Neal, he notified the court of his intention to seek a habitual felony offender sentence enhancement in this case.

After several hearings, depositions and continuances, a trial by jury was set to begin on Tuesday, March 2, in Greene Circuit Court with Judge Erik Allen presiding.

Twelve jurors and two alternate jurors were seated the first day and cases were presented on day two, by Prosecutor Jarrod Holtsclaw, and Deputy Public Defender Ellen Martin - representing Neal.

The jury went into deliberations late the same day and they returned to the courtroom with a verdict of guilty of child molesting – fondling or touching with a child under the age of 14, a Level 4 felony.

After the verdict was read, there was a kerfluffle in the courtroom as Neal expressed his dismay. Sources say he used inappropriate language and was loud. The jury was removed and courtroom cleared with law enforcement remaining to insure order.

When the jury returned to the courtroom, evidence was presented as to whether Neal was a habitual felony offender. They again returned a verdict of guilty.

Neal was remanded into the custody of the Greene County Sheriff’s Department and transported to jail.

Sentencing by Judge Allen is set for April 1, 2021, exactly one year after his initial hearing in this case – which was on April 1, 2020.

Neal could be facing substantial time in the Indiana Department of Corrections.

The sentence for a Level 4 felony ranges from two to 12 years in prison. On top of that, the sentence enhancement for being a habitual felony offender ranges from an additional six years up to 20 years in prison.

Notes on prior criminal record:

Records show Neal has served more than one stint in the Indiana Department of Corrections.

The first was for a conviction in July of 2008 for burglary, a Class B felony. He was in DOC for five years and after good time credit, he was released in April 2010.

He was sentenced in October of 2011 for burglary, a Class B felony, sentenced to two years in DOC, released in March, 2012.

He was sentenced in July of 2013 for burglary, a Class B felony, sentenced to one year in DOC, released in January of 2014.

He was in DOC again after being sentenced in June of 2016 for possession of a destructive device, a Class C felony, for two years, released in August of 2017.

He’s also served time in the county jail.

When Neal was arrested in August of 2007, Shakamak school buses had been broken into and items stolen included fire extinguishers, first aid kits and radios, among other items. One item was found thrown off a bridge, a diver located other items in a Sullivan County lake, and Neal was found in possession of some of the stolen items.

He was out on bond in the school bus case when he became a suspect in the burglary of the Bibleway Church in Linton in October 2007. Numerous items, some of personal or antique value, were taken, a door was pried open, an ice pick stuck in a wall and at least one other building owned by the church was broken into. After he served his time in the church burglary case, he was on probation and was accused of violating the terms – his time suspended was revoked.

In April of 2011, Neal was charged with felony strangulation and battery resulting in bodily injury following a violent domestic incident.

In another case, he was charged with intimidation of law enforcement officers and at one time while he was in jail, he was charged with battery following a jailhouse fight he allegedly instigated.

In July of 2012, he was charged with possession of a destructive device, a Class C felony. Police found the device at Neal’s residence. One officer described the device as a pipe bomb and another described it as a homemade grenade. Inside his residence, they also found materials and supplies to make more explosive devices. A special team from the Indiana State Police was called in to dismantle the device and handle the explosives.