One of the four individuals accused of damaging the football field and stealing track hurdles at Eastern-Greene High School last April was in court this month to admit guilt and be sentenced. In addition to doing some time in jail or work release followed by probation, he’s been ordered to pay $4,826 in restitution to the school.

The case of one of the four suspects, Caleb Daniel Baker of Bloomfield, 18 at the time of his arrest in May, finally wrapped up in early October.

The case investigated by Indiana State Police Trooper Kent Rohlfing resulted in charges against Baker, Coby Vincent Farley, 18, Bloomfield, and two juveniles. No information on the juvenile cases is public record.

In Baker’s case, a warrant was issued for his arrest, he was booked in to jail by Greene County Sheriff’s Deputy Alan Jackson, and his bond was set at $12,500 surety with ten percent cash allowed. He posted $1,250 cash and was released the same day as his arrest.

He was then charged with:

Burglary, a Level 5 felony,
Theft, a Class A misdemeanor,
Criminal mischief, a Class B misdemeanor,
Criminal trespassing, a Class A misdemeanor, and
Criminal trespassing, a Level 6 felony.

In mid-September, Baker signed a negotiated plea agreement and during a sentencing hearing in Greene Superior Court earlier this month, the terms were accepted by the court.

Baker changed his plea to guilty of Count 5, criminal trespassing, a Level 6 felony, and the state dismissed Counts 1-4.

He was sentenced to 1.5 years in the Greene County Jail with all but 90 days suspended. Since he bonded out the same day as his arrest, he wasn’t given credit for any time already served. Baker will be allowed to serve the 90 days on work release so long as he remains eligible for the program. He was ordered to report to Greene County Community Corrections on October 5.

After his release, he will be on supervised probation for 1.5 years, must complete an alcohol and substance abuse assessment and all programs deemed appropriate by Greene County Alcohol and Drug Services.

Baker was also ordered to pay a drug and alcohol evaluation and case management fee of $300, a probation administrative fee of $100, a probation user’s initial fee of $100, court costs and a fine.

In addition, Baker must pay $4,826 as restitution to Eastern-Greene Schools.

Background

The incident at Eastern that occurred between 3-4 a.m. on April 8, was investigated by Trooper Rohlfing from the ISP Bloomington Post. Trooper Rohlfing is assigned to the ISP Methamphetamine Suppression Section and he works on a Drug Task Force Team. He has been involved in hundreds of methamphetamine and other drug investigations over the last several years. Off duty, he also works security at Eastern-Greene Schools.

On April 11, he was working off-duty security at the school when he was contacted by Jon Neill, dean of students at the high school, about someone “doing donuts” and driving a vehicle on the high school football field, leaving ruts and tire marks behind. Track hurdles had also been stolen.

Rolfing learned that a couple of days earlier, a school employee had spotted four of the missing track hurdles in the woods in the Lawrence Hollow area.

Rolfing reviewed footage from the school’s security cameras. According to Rolfing, the surveillance video showed a light-colored extended cab pick-up truck drive from the north side of the high school and enter the student parking lot, drive through the lot then up a small hill toward the football field. The truck stopped at the gate to the field and someone got out, unlatched the gate and the vehicle drove onto the field.

Rolfing reported that for a few minutes, the truck appeared to be driving in circles from one end of the field to the other, then stopped near the track hurdles before exiting the field through the open gate.

The hurdles were recovered near Baker’s residence, Baker drove a truck similar to the one in the videos, and several students thought it was Baker who drove on the field. He was a former student at the school who had recently withdrawn.

After taking photos of the damage to Eastern-Greene’s football field, Rohlfing started locating suspects and conducting interviews.

With some variations about who was driving the truck and who picked up the hurdles, Rohlfing learned four individuals were involved. They had been in Bloomington then traveled back to Baker’s residence, allegedly stopping off at the school to do “burn-outs.”

All of the details gathered in Rohlfing’s investigation was submitted to the Greene County Prosecutor’s Office who filed criminal cases against both Baker and Farley. Two juveniles were also in trouble but their names and other details about their cases are not a matter of public record.

In the case against Coby Farley, he was summoned to appear in court for an initial hearing in early June and was charged with: Theft, a Class A misdemeanor, and criminal trespassing, a Class A misdemeanor. Farley’s case is still pending.