🏛️ COURT NEWS: Swartz Sentenced to 14 Years for Level 3 Felony Methamphetamine Possession 🏛️

📍 BEDFORD, IN — A major drug enforcement case has concluded in Lawrence Superior Court II. In a finalized Sentencing and Commitment Order issued on June 25, 2026, Judge Robert R. Cline handed down a 14-year structural sentence to Claude David Swartz, 49, following a felony drug conviction.

Swartz entered a plea of guilty to Possession of Methamphetamine, a Level 3 Felony. Under the terms of the negotiated plea agreement, any and all other counts originally brought against Swartz in this cause were officially dismissed by the State.

⚖️ The Structural Breakdown of the Sentence:

According to the official court commitment documents, the finalized structural components of Swartz's 14-year sentence are detailed as follows:

• Incarceration & Execution: Swartz was committed to the Indiana Department of Correction (IDOC) for a total period of 14 years. The court split the executed time, ordering 8 years to be served in state prison (IDOC), to be followed by 2 years on House Arrest.
• Suspended Sentence: The court ordered 4 years of the total 14-year sentence to be suspended.
• Credit for Time Served: Swartz was granted credit for 192 actual days already served in confinement, along with 64 earned credit days.
• Supervised Probation: Upon the completion of his executed time, Swartz will be placed on supervised probation for a period of 730 days.
• Financial Penalties: The court imposed a $300.00 fine, which was suspended and directed to be made payable to the ADAPT Program. Swartz is also responsible for standard court costs of $189.00 and a State User Fee of $400.00.

🗣️ Mandatory Probationary Conditions:

To maintain his probation status, Swartz must strictly comply with several special terms mandated from the bench:

• Reporting & Monitoring: He must report in person to the Probation Department at least once a month and submit to regular drug screenings (including a baseline screen) at his own expense.
• Treatment & Community Service: Swartz is ordered to participate in and successfully complete the Substance Abuse/ADAPT program. He must also complete 80 hours of Community Service Work or Road Crew.
• Substance Restrictions: The order strictly prohibits him from possessing or consuming alcohol or controlled substances, or entering any establishments where they are sold or consumed.
• Education & Employment: He must provide proof of a High School Diploma or HSE, or actively work toward obtaining it. If he is or becomes unemployed, he is required to complete the local "Introduction to Local Jobs and Skills Course".