Columbus woman gets 5 years in prison for dealing meth

An admitted methamphetamine dealer has been sentenced in Bartholomew Circuit Court.

Haley Marie Zapfe, 25, was ordered to serve five years in a state prison — just one year short of the maximum sentence — by Judge Stephen Heimann.

Zapfe was under surveillance when she arranged drug buys twice in January, according to a probable-cause affidavit filed July 19 by a member of the Joint Narcotics Enforcement Team.

During the first incident, Zapfe was picked up at her Newton Street residence, provided $120, and driven to a residence in the Taylorsville area, the affidavit stated.

She went inside the home, and provided the buyer with methamphetamine after returning to the vehicle, the written police report stated.

Two days later, Zapfe notified the same buyer that she could provide more of the drug. This time, she was driven near Edinburgh to meet her supplier outside a convenience store, and again came back to the car with more methamphetamine, the affidavit stated.

A warrant was issued for her arrest, and Zapfe was taken into custody Feb. 4.

But while she was in the Bartholomew County Jail, Zapfe kept breaking inmate regulations until she was declared an habitual rule breaker on Aug. 5, court documents state.

One day after receiving a written reprimand and punishment from corrections officers, a proposed plea bargain was submitted to her attorney.

In exchange for admitting her guilt to dealing in methamphetamine as a Level 5 felony, prosecutors were willing to dismiss charges against Zapfe in four other cases, the proposed agreement stated.

Those charges included possession of methamphetamine and other drug items filed last October by the Hope Police Department, as well as theft and conversion.

While Zapfe accepted those terms, the judge was not willing to extend additional considerations to the defendant during her Sept. 22 sentencing.

Not only did Heimann mention her bad behavior in jail, but he also cited Zapfe’s substantial criminal history, several probation violations, and an unsuccessful outcome regarding an effort at substance abuse treatment.

Although Zapfe had been ruled ineligible for the local Women Recovering with a Purpose (WRAP) program, prosecutors agreed not to object if the judge included drug addiction treatment within the Indiana Department of Corrections.

Heimann ordered that if Zapfe can successfully complete that drug treatment program in prison, he will consider reducing her sentence at a later date.