Breedlove
One of four suspects accused in a kidnapping, assault and robbery of a 19-year-old local man accepted a plea bargain Monday in Bartholomew Superior Court 1.
Charles Abram Breedlove, 19, of 2017 14th St. agreed to plead guilty to robbery resulting in serious bodily injury as a Level 2 felony. In exchange, Bartholomew County Prosecutor Lindsey Holden-Kay agreed to drop Level 3 felony charges of kidnapping, criminal confinement and aggravated battery.
While both the defense and prosecution agreed to a 10-year prison term, Judge James Worton is not obligated to accept terms in such agreements. Sentencing is scheduled for 2:30 p.m. on March 12.
A Level 2 felony is punishable by up to 30 years in prison if aggravating circumstances warrant a lengthy sentence. The presumptive sentence, where mitigating and aggravating circumstances appear balanced, is 17½ years with the Indiana Department of Correction.
While being questioned by Worton Monday, Breedlove described himself as both a drug addict and an alcoholic.
A second defendant in the case was also scheduled to have a change of plea hearing Monday. But Emily Franklin, 19, of Commiskey wasn’t prepared to accept plea bargains from the prosecutor at this time, defense attorney Mark Dove said.
Instead, Dove is asking that his client’s case be handled separately from Breedlove and the two other defendants: Ashton Fields, 18 of 762 Clifty Drive-C and Zablin “Jai” Woodruff, 19, of 238 N. Hughes St. On Jan. 23, prosecutors requested that all open cases in the matter be tried together.
Worton said a hearing on Dove’s request will be held at the same time as Franklin’s rescheduled change of plea hearing at 9:15 a.m. on May 20. Other updated court dates for Franklin include a final pre-trial conference at 11 a.m. on June 2. The jury trial for Franklin, Fields and Woodruff is tentatively set for 8:30 a.m. on June 18.
Besides robbery resulting in serious bodily injury as a Level 2 felony, all four defendants were formally charged with kidnapping, criminal confinement and aggravated battery. Any defendant convicted on all four counts could face between 19 and 78 years in prison, as well as up to $40,000 in fines.
According to investigators, Franklin offered to drive the 19-year-old victim to get something to eat the night of June 2, 2023. Instead, she drove him to a barn located off Bonnell Road.
Woodruff grabbed the victim by the neck and dragged him out of the vehicle before Breedlove punched him in the face, a probable cause affidavit states.
Breedlove and Woodruff took turns with a knife attempting to cut the victim before Breedlove brandished a pistol from his waistband and pistol-whipped the victim, court documents state. Breedlove pointed a pistol at the victim’s head multiple times and said, “I’m going to blow your head off,” “these are your last minutes on earth” and “this is it,” the affidavit states.
The victim told investigators Woodruff held him down while Breedlove cut off his hair and cut the skin covering his throat with a pair of scissors, the affidavit states.
Woodruff asked the victim, “Are you thirsty?” just before he threw liquid on the victim’s face that burned his eyes and the lacerations on his face, the affidavit states. Woodruff and Breedlove then grabbed the victim’s index and small fingers and attempted to break them, investigators said.
The victim said he was told by Woodruff to wait in the barn for 30 minutes, as well as warned that if he left earlier, the assault would continue, the affidavit states. Woodruff and Breedlove then took the victim’s sweatshirt, shoes and phone, investigators said.
The victim waited for more than an hour before running to nearby homes seeking help, the affidavit states. When he got to the fourth home, he found himself at the residence of Indiana State Police Trooper Rick Roseberry, who called for emergency medical assistance.
The victim was treated for non-life threatening injuries at Columbus Regional Hospital. The four defendants were apprehended over the next several days.
No motive for the kidnapping and beating has been provided by investigating officers nor court officials.
