30 year old Zachary Powell was sentenced in Edwards County court Friday afternoon. He pled guilty to a Class 4 Felony Domestic Battery against his girlfriend, C.S., who he had a prior misdemeanor domestic battery conviction against in White County. This Edwards County Domestic Battery charge was elevated to a Class 4 Felony from a Class A misdemeanor because of his prior conviction on the same offense.
Powell will spend the next 5 and 1/2 years in the Department of Corrections to be followed by 4 years of parole. In addition, Powell has been ordered to pay $652 in court costs and mandatory fines.
According to States Attorney Mike Valentine, a Class 4 Felony usually carries with it a range of penalties including 1-3 years of jail. However, because of Powell’s prior conviction and it being within the last 10 years (in addition, Powell had a prior Class 3 theft in Edwards County in 2012), he was extended-term eligible in this case. In this case he was accused of shoving the victim, who happens to be 12 years younger than he.
As part of Powell’s plea to the extended-term sentence, counts I, II and IV (Class 2 Aggravated Domestic Battery; Class 3 Intimidation; and Class 4 Unlawful Restraint) were dismissed, as well as a Class A misdemeanor possession of drug paraphernalia charge. Powell has been credited with just over a month of time served.
