Prosecutor wants ‘Hug a Thug’ law repealed
FRANKLIN, Ind. (WISH) – Johnson County Prosecutor Bradley Cooper announced formal charges on Thursday against Ira Link, 42, in the rape of an elderly Greenwood woman.
Cooper believes that the maximum sentencing allowed under the new Indiana law is inadequate.
The formal charges were:
- Rape, level three felony
- Rape (Other sexual conduct), level three felony
- Burglary, level three felony
- Confinement, level five felony
- Repeat sexual offender enhancement
If convicted on all four felonies, Link could face a maximum sentence of 54 years in prison. The repeat sexual offender enhancement charge can add an additional nine years.
The potential maximum sentence for incarceration if he is convicted could be 63 years and he would be eligible for early release.
The Indiana Legislature changed the criminal reduction laws last year, and if Link had committed these crimes before then, he would have faced a maximum sentence of 168 years in prison and would not be eligible for early release.
Of all the cases Cooper has handled, this rape case strikes a certain nerve with him.
“This is an elderly person, living alone, trying to help somebody, and in her efforts to try to help somebody, her home is invaded, her body is invaded, and it just shouldn’t be that way,” he said.
It’s why he’s making sure the man accused of the crime, Ira Link. does the time. But even that’s not enough for him.
“In this case, rape is a level 3 crime, which means you’re facing three to 16 years. Under the old code, a rape of this fashion would have been an A felony which means you’re facing 20-50 years,” he said.
The “old code” he mentioned was changed during last years legislative session. Sentences for some felonies and crimes were reduced. but others had the minimum sentence increased.Also, some felons must now to serve at least 75% of their sentence instead of 50. But Cooper still believes too many criminals leaving the courthouse won’t spend enough time behind bars.
“A heroin dealer now only faces 1-6 years in prison and I think we have a pretty bad heroin problem in the state right now,” he said.
State Rep. Greg Steuerwald authored the bill that changed the criminal code. We reached out to him for a response but he couldn’t get back to us in time. Meanwhile Cooper is hoping the changes to the code get repealed.
“We were there at the legislature telling them this is exactly what’s going to happen if they pass this law. So that now that this has come to fruition, I could say this is an ‘I told you so’ moment,” he said.