When ISP troopers executed a search warrant in December of 2019, they seized over 10 pounds of marijuana and over $25,000 cash from the home of a Solsberry man who was then charged with dealing marijuana as a Level 5 felony. He later changed his plea to guilty and this month he was sentenced in Greene Circuit Court.

Jessy James Harden, 29 at the time, Solsberry, was arrested on December 31, 2019, and booked into the Greene County Jail after he turned himself in around 3 p.m. Harden paid $1,000 cash, ten percent of a $10,000 bond, and was released the same day.

Harden had been under an investigation led by Detective Joshua Allen of the Indiana State Police. Det. Allen has been assigned to the ISP’s Drug Enforcement Section for several years.

Earlier in the month, Det. Allen received information that Harden was dealing marijuana out of his home located on North Greene County Line Road, Solsberry. A search warrant was granted then executed by Det. Allen, ISP Trooper Richard Klun, and several other ISP troopers.

When they arrived, a female resident and two juveniles were home. Det. Allen said the entire residence smelled of marijuana and the troopers found two marijuana grows, one on each end of the house. They also found a safe. The woman allegedly said she knew what was going on but was not involved and she did not know the combination to the safe. She said everything was Harden’s.

While troopers were on the scene, Harden arrived home, was advised of his rights and then agreed to speak to Det. Allen and open the safe.

According to Det. Allen, Harden admitted to dealing marijuana, said he had not been employed for over a year and that life would be difficult to afford without his marijuana business. Harden allegedly explained that would buy a pound of marijuana for $1,200, usually buying six pounds at a time, and he would then sell marijuana for $150 an ounce or $30-40 for one-eighth of an ounce.

Det. Allen wrote that if Harden sold at those prices, he would double his money when selling by the ounce, or triple his money when selling smaller quantities, clearing approximately $1,200-$2,640 per pound.

In addition to seizing 13 marijuana plants, Det. Allen reported they seized $25,251 in cash and over 10 pounds of marijuana from the safe. Harden allegedly admitted that much of the cash was proceeds from the marijuana business.

Greene County Prosecutor Jarrod Holtsclaw then filed a criminal case against Harden in Greene Circuit Court and a warrant was issued for Harden’s arrest. Harden retained a defense attorney from Indianapolis and when he appeared in Greene Circuit Court for an initial hearing in mid-January 2020, he was charged with dealing in marijuana in an amount of at least 10 pounds, a Level 5 felony.

After winding its way through the court system amid the pandemic, a negotiated plea agreement was reached and filed in late October 2020. After several continuances, a change of plea hearing took place on Tuesday, May 11.

Under the terms of the agreement, sentencing was left up to the discretion of the court but it was not to exceed three years.

In pronouncing sentence, Judge Eric Allen noted the fact that Harden’s criminal history includes a conviction in another county for battery resulting in bodily injury, a Class A misdemeanor, was an aggravating factor. However, he said the aggravating factor was outweighed by mitigating factors that included the fact that Harden pled guilty and accepted responsibility, that he was likely to respond affirmatively to probation or short-term incarceration, and that long-term incarceration would result in an undue hardship on his dependents, though that was given minimal weight.

Harden was sentenced to 2.5 years with 1.5 years suspended leaving him with one year left to serve. He was given credit for one day already served. The judge specified that Harden will serve the first 120 days (119 days after his one day credit is deducted) of his incarceration in the Greene County Jail then serve the balance of his time on work release. After that, he’ll be on 1.5 years of suspervised probation. Harden was given a date to report to the jail.

Harden, now 31, was booked into the Greene County Jail on Monday, May 24, to begin serving his time.