BEDFORD – A 37-year-old Bedford man will serve nearly two years in prison after a Lawrence County judge revoked his probation following a new criminal offense.
On January 5, 2026, Lawrence Superior Court II Judge Robert Cline ordered Shane A. Russell to the Indiana Department of Correction to serve out the remainder of a previously suspended sentence.
The legal proceedings began a year ago when Russell pled guilty to possession of methamphetamine, a Level 6 felony, on January 9, 2025. Under the terms of a negotiated plea agreement Russell was originally sentenced to 730 days. He received 12 days of jail credit. The court suspended the remainder of the sentence, ordering him to serve 365 days on supervised probation.
The privilege of probation was revoked after Russell failed to comply with the court’s conditions. According to court records, Russell committed a new criminal offense—theft, a Class A misdemeanor—in neighboring Washington County.
As a result of this violation, Judge Cline terminated Russell’s probation unsuccessfully and sentenced him to serve 700 days in the Indiana Department of Correction.
Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Arthur Pearcy emphasized the necessity of the prison sentence to maintain the integrity of the judicial system.
“Probation is a privilege, not a right,” Pearcy stated. “The defendant was given an opportunity to remain in the community under clear and lawful conditions, and he chose instead to commit theft in another county. This conduct is a direct violation of his probation and demonstrates a disregard for the court’s authority and the law”.
Pearcy added that the State argued for the execution of the suspended sentence to ensure accountability and public safety.
