Dubois County Prosecutor's Office secures convictions in multiple felony cases

The Dubois County Prosecutor’s Office secured several convictions in high-level felony cases during the first months of 2025, with multiple defendants receiving prison sentences for crimes including child molestation and possession of child pornography.

In Dubois Circuit Court, Brian E. Gentry, 46, pleaded guilty to three counts of child molesting on February 25. The charges included one Class C felony and two Level 4 felonies. Gentry received a 20-year sentence at the Indiana Department of Correction (IDOC) on March 24. Chief Deputy Prosecutor Tiffany Houchin, who negotiated the agreement, commended the victim for their bravery in coming forward.

Johnny R. Evans, 61, of Jasper, was found guilty of four counts of possession of child pornography, all Level 5 felonies, following a bench trial on March 6 in Dubois Circuit Court.

At Evans’ April 1 sentencing, the Dubois County Probation Department recommended a 12-year sentence, with nine years to be served in prison followed by three years of supervised probation. Deputy Prosecutor Dan Wilkinson supported this recommendation.

Judge Nathan Verkamp ultimately imposed a sentence of six years, with two years to be served in prison, followed by four years of supervised probation. The first two years of probation require Evans to follow adult day reporting through Dubois County Community Corrections (DCCC). The court made the following conditions of his probation: 1) Defendant shall continue with his counseling at Lifespring and follow all treatment recommendations; 2) Defendant shall have no unsupervised contact with anyone under the age of 16; and 3) Defendant shall comply with all applicable provisions of the Indiana Special Probation Conditions for Adult Sex Offenders.

Derek W. Smith, 27, of Jasper, pleaded guilty on March 18 to multiple charges across three separate cases, including five counts of possession of child pornography, rape, and public voyeurism.

The Dubois County Probation Department recommended that Smith serve all his time in prison, with the final 363 days on work release. Prosecutor Wilkinson requested the maximum sentence allowed under the plea agreement: 13 years in prison followed by three years of supervised probation.

Judge Verkamp sentenced Smith to nine years in prison, followed by three years on work release and one year on home detention with GPS monitoring.

Wilkinson gave special thanks to Jasper Police Department Officer Brent Burton and Detective Aaron Schmitt for their thorough investigation of Smith’s cases. Their diligent work in reviewing security video from a voyeurism complaint at Jasper Walmart led to Smith’s identification and arrest.

“The community is safer because of their thorough investigative work that ultimately resulted in a prison sentence for this offender,” noted the prosecutor’s office.

Kyle C. Truelove, 39, of Jasper, entered a plea agreement on March 31 for one count of child molesting, a Level 3 felony. Under the agreement, Truelove will receive a 16-year sentence, with 10 years in prison followed by six years of supervised probation. His sentencing is scheduled for April 28.

Dubois County Prosecutor Beth Schroeder commended the victims and their families for “having the bravery and strength required to participate in the judicial process.”

In Dubois Superior Court, the prosecutor’s office has filed multiple high-level drug dealing cases resulting from undercover controlled buys conducted by Dubois County Sheriff’s Department Narcotics Officer Craig Schneider and Jasper Police Department Officer Logan Jones. Deputy Prosecutor Jenelle Murling assists with these cases.

Recent drug dealing charges include:

Brandon Bullock, 39, of Dale, charged with dealing in methamphetamine and dealing in a narcotic drug, both Level 4 felonies. Bond is set at $5,000 cash only.
Bradley Anderson, 47, of Dale, charged with two counts each of dealing in methamphetamine and dealing in a narcotic drug, all Level 4 felonies. Bond is set at $2,500 cash only.
Allison Kroeger, 29, of Jasper, charged with two counts of dealing in methamphetamine. Bond is set at $5,000 cash only.
David Chandler, 43, of Dale, charged with dealing in methamphetamine and dealing in a substance represented to be a controlled substance. Bond is set at $5,000 cash only.
Matthew Mattingly, 35, of Huntingburg, charged with dealing in methamphetamine, dealing in a narcotic drug, and maintaining a common nuisance. He is currently held without bond.
Jason Keller, 41, of Stendal, charged with three counts of dealing in methamphetamine, possession of methamphetamine, possession of a narcotic drug, possession of marijuana, and possession of paraphernalia. Bond is set at $50,000 cash only.

The Dubois County Prosecutor’s Office has also begun working with the Integrated Reentry and Correctional Support (IRACS) Program to identify individuals in the Dubois County Security Center who would benefit from services aimed at reducing recidivism and supporting substance-abuse-free living after release.

The prosecutor’s office team consists of elected prosecutor Beth Schroeder and four deputy prosecutors: Tiffany Houchin (Chief Deputy), Dan Wilkinson, Jenelle Murling, and Logan Bromm. Bromm, a Dubois County native and Jasper High School graduate, recently joined the office after graduating from IU McKinney School of Law in December 2024.