COURT DOCKET: Bedford Man Headed to Prison After Probation Revoked in Burglary Case

A Bedford man is headed to the Indiana Department of Correction (IDOC) after having his probation revoked in Lawrence Superior Court 2.

On July 2, 2026, Judge Robert R. Cline ordered 1,400 days of Christopher S. Abner’s suspended sentence executed following a violation hearing. His probation has been terminated unsuccessfully.

The case tracking highlights the timeline leading to the prison commitment:

• The Original Case: The charges stem from an April 2021 incident investigated by the Indiana State Police. Abner ultimately pleaded guilty in September 2023 to Level 5 Felony Burglary, two counts of Level 6 Felony Theft, and Class B Misdemeanor Criminal Mischief.
• Original Sentence: In January 2024, Abner was sentenced to 2,190 days, with 2,166 days suspended to a combination of supervised and unsupervised probation.
• The Revocation: After a previous probation violation petition was handled in 2024, the Lawrence County Probation Department filed a new petition to revoke his suspended sentence on December 15, 2025, triggering a warrant. Abner was arrested on that warrant on June 3, 2026, and remained held in custody despite defense requests for house arrest.
• Final Ruling: Following a denial hearing on July 1, 2026, where the court found Abner violated his terms, a final dispositional hearing was held on July 2. The court accepted an admission of the violation, revoked the 1,400 days to the IDOC, and granted him credit for 29 actual days served plus 10 earned credit days.

The Lawrence County Public Defender Agency was appointed by the court to represent Abner during the appeal process.