Haylee R. Blackwell, Appellant-Defendant v. State of Indiana, Appellee-Plaintiff (2026)

MEMORANDUM DECISION

[1] In December 2025, Haylee Blackwell pled guilty to Level 6 felony possession of methamphetamine. On January 21, 2026, Blackwell was sentenced to 545 days in the Hancock County Jail, with time-served credit for 122 days and the remaining 423 days suspended to probation. She signed the probation order, agreeing to refrain from use of “alcohol, narcotic[s], CBD Oil, Delta-8 or dangerous drugs of any kind[.]” App. Vol. II p. 32.

[2] On February 5—less than three weeks after agreeing to her probation conditions—Blackwell tested positive for methamphetamine, amphetamine, benzoylecgonine, and cocaine. At a February 18 hearing on the State's petition to revoke, Blackwell proceeded pro se and admitted that she violated her probation. The State expressed concerns about the nature of her violation compared to her conviction and about the short time between execution of the agreement and her violation. Blackwell chose not to respond. The court ordered her to serve the remainder of her 423-day sentence but left open the possibility of modification if Blackwell completed the “MRT program” in the Hancock County Jail. Tr. Vol. II p. 10.

[3] Blackwell appeals, alleging the sanction imposed was too harsh and an abuse of discretion. She contends that, aside from the State's concerns, “no additional evidence was presented regarding whether treatment alternatives had been attempted or whether a lesser sanction would have adequately addressed the violation.” Appellant's Br. pp. 6-7. But treatment alternatives and lesser sanctions are options that the trial court may consider, not a mandatory prerequisite. See (2015).

[4] Probation is a matter of grace and a conditional liberty that is a favor, not a right., reh'g denied. An order to execute the remainder of a suspended sentence is one option a trial court may impose when a defendant violates probation. I.C. . We review a trial court's sanction for an abuse of discretion, which occurs when the decision is clearly against the logic and effect of the facts and circumstances., trans. denied.

[5] Here, Blackwell admitted to violating the conditions of her probation by consuming illegal drugs less than three weeks after agreeing not to do so. The State expressed concern about her fitness for probation given the short time between execution of the agreement and her violation, and its similarity to her underlying conviction. And the violation of a single condition of probation supports revocation., trans. denied. Given this, the court's decision to revoke her entire suspended sentence does not go against the logic and effect of the facts and circumstances. Still, the court showed Blackwell continued grace by leaving open the possibility of modification if she completes treatment programming in jail. The court did not abuse its discretion.

[6] Affirmed.

Scheele, Judge.

May, J., and Pyle, J., concur.