Charges filed about a self-confessed white supremacist accused of severely injuring another Bartholomew County jail inmate in an altercation have been dropped for now as the victim is refusing to cooperate with investigators.
During a change of plea hearing Monday, Bartholomew County prosecutors agreed to dismiss charges of Level 6 felony battery resulting in serious bodily injury and criminal gang activity against Jarred A. Parton, 27, who is already serving a sentence in the Indiana Department of Corrections on another local case.
Bartholomew County Prosecutor Bill Nash said the jail inmate who suffered injuries severe enough to need surgery elected not to cooperate with investigators. Although prosecutors had sufficient evidence to charge Parton, “we weren’t able to go forward with the prosecution without the victim’s cooperation,” Nash said.
Since the case was filed, the victim has been sentenced to a federal prison facility, further complicating the investigation, Nash said.
The charges were dropped without prejudice, which means that if circumstances change, and it is within the statute of limitations, the charges against Parton could be refiled, Nash said.
Parton already is serving nearly six years in the Indiana Department of Corrections after being sentenced Dec. 6 by Bartholomew Circuit Judge Kelly Benjamin on convictions of possession of methamphetamine, as well as failing to return to Community Corrections detention as ordered.
Parton, who has resided mostly in Franklin during recent years, was one of nine people arrested on felony charges related to criminal gang activity in early November. During a search of a home southwest of Taylorsville, police found materials linking Parton and others with the Aryan Brotherhood, investigators said.
The Aryan Brotherhood is “the nation’s oldest major white supremacist prison gang and a national crime syndicate,” according to the Southern Poverty Law Center, which monitors hate groups and other extremists.
Parton said in court that he is a member of the white supremacist organization.
The incident with the injuries to the jail inmate occurred just days after Parton’s arrest in November, according to court records.
But it was an earlier arrest on Feb. 19, 2018 that resulted in the prison time Parton is now serving.
On that day, a police officer who saw Parton outside a convenience store took him into custody after confirming Parton had an active probation-violation warrant issued for his arrest, said Lt. Matt Harris, Columbus Police Department spokesman.
At that time, Parton was wanted for failing to return to Community Corrections after being allowed to participate in a work release program.
Officers later found methamphetamine and marijuana inside Parton’s coat while searching his clothing before transporting him to jail, Harris said.
The drug charges resulted in a 921 day sentence with the Indiana Department of Correction, while an additional 921 days was added for failing to return to jail after work release.
