Sentence handed down on Operation Big Brother plea deal

Freyberger
Freyberger

Edward L. Freyberger, 68, of Dubois, was sentenced in Dubois Superior Court Wednesday in connection to the multi-agency sting operation, Operation Big Brother.

Freyberger pleaded guilty to two counts of dealing in a Schedule II controlled substance on January 27. According to court documents, Freyberger sold 85 Percocet pills for $550 and 25 Adderall pills for $175.

The plea agreement left the sentencing up to Superior Court Judge Mark McConnell but capped Freyberger’s sentence at 15 years. Freyberger also agreed to pay $725 in restitution to the Dubois County Sheriff’s Department.

At the hearing Wednesday, the state, represented by Deputy Prosecutor Beth Sermersheim, recommended Freyberger to be sentenced to 12 years in the Indiana Department of Correction due to his history as a criminal offender.

Dubois County Probation recommended a total sentence of eight years, with four years served on home detention with an electronic ankle monitory bracelet. This would be followed with four years of supervised probation.

Freyberger requested the court sentence him in accordance with probation’s recommendation.

McConnell was uncomfortable with placing Freyberger back in the home where he had sold the drugs in the presence of his four grandchildren. He sentenced Freyberger to two years in the Dubois County Security Center and eight years supervised probation suspended to five years.

After Freyberger was sentenced, he was about to be escorted from the court when he collapsed to the floor. After Freyberger refused medical treatment from first responders, he was taken to Memorial Hospital for medical clearance before being checked into the Dubois County Security Center.

According to Deputy Prosecutor Sermersheim, another Operation Big Brother defendant has reached a plea agreement with the State of Indiana and is set for sentencing on March 18, 2015.

Merkley
Merkley

L. Merkley, 25, Huntingburg, has pled guilty to Dealing in a Schedule III controlled substance (Lortab) as a Class B felony.

She is set to receive a sentence of fourteen (14) years executed at the Indiana Department of Correction. The plea agreement calls for that sentence to run consecutive to a Dubois County Circuit Court probation revocation sentence of 180 days at the Dubois County Security Center.

Merkley also has another consecutive probation sentence on a marijuana possession charge that she will serve after being released from prison.

In total, six Operation Big Brother cases have been resolved. Thus far, the sentences imposed in these cases total 57 years, with 43 years of jail time. Ten other Operation Big Brother cases remain set for jury trial at this time.

According to Sermersheim, the Dubois County Prosecutor’s Office will continue to vigorously prosecute drug dealing offenses and added that another large operation is currently in progress.

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