Delphi proceeds with integrated land use plan
By Debbie Lowe Staff writer

Delphi Board of Works signed a contract with Ground Rules Inc. at a May 17 meeting to develop a comprehensive land use plan. The plan will be developed in conjunction with the one currently under development for Carroll County. Ground Rules is providing land use planning services to both entities.

The contract designated the city as the "owner" of the document. Mayor Lee Hoard was named as the single representative authorized to communicate and make decisions on the "owners" behalf.

According to the contract, the consultant will "prepare a city-specific comprehensive plan in conjunction with and integrated into the Carroll County Comprehensive Plan."

Ground Rules will facilitate up to two strategic planning sessions for the city's elected and appointed officials and department heads.

Ground rules will complete a survey and analysis of the physical attributes of the city by driving all streets. The firm will investigate the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats in regard to the municipal airport and will facilitate a strategic planning session with entrepreneurs, business operators, inventors and other leaders in the business and industrial community.

Ground rules will dedicate additional time to adding content otherwise would not be in the county plan and refine and personalize that content that would otherwise appear more general in the county plan.

The firm will be paid child sexual molestation.

Mullin said Sprinkle worked as an over-the-road truck driver and carried a laptop computer with wireless connection when he traveled.

Mullin reported the defendant showed no remorse when interviewed by police officers about the charges.

Manahan questioned Mullin about computer evidence contamination. He suggested others in the house had ready access to some of the five computers owned by Sprinkle. He pointed out none of the others in the home, besides Munson, were charged with crimes.

Manahan said although his client declined to make a statement, he appreciated "having his day in court" and he was sorry the victim was forced to testify in the child exploitation case.

Thompson cited aggravating factors to support the recommendation of 23 years in prison included Sprinkle's criminal history dating back to 1976.

"This shows someone who cannot follow society's rules," Thompson told the court.

She said Sprinkle held a position of trust to the victim, he used his computer for "virtually nothing but child pornography," the harm to the victim was greater than the elements of the case, that Sprinkle showed no remorse and that he is a predator because he did not act on a whim and the pornography images did not appear on his computers by accident.

Thompson concluded by saying the defendant should serve the maximum sentence because, "the community is not safe with the defendant on probation."

Manahan countered by saying his client accepted the responsibility of possession of child pornography by pleading guilty, he saved the court costs and time by avoiding another jury trial, that there were no images of the victim found on the Internet to date.

Manahan said Sprinkle could comply with probation and said it would be appropriate. He said the defendant's most recent conviction, prior to the April conviction, was in 1999. He further requested Sprinkle's personal property be returned to him.

Currie cited no mitigating or aggravating factors for the basis of his decision. He followed Indiana Code advisory sentencing guidelines which defines an advisory sentence as "...a guideline sentence that the court may voluntarily consider as the midpoint between the maximum sentence and the minimum sentence."

Currie sentenced Sprinkle to one-and-a-half years for each of the Class D felonies and four years for the Class C felony of child exploitation for a total of eight years, served consecutively with time off for good behavior and credit for 322 days served. No probation was ordered. Sprinkle was ordered to register as a sexual offender upon his release from the Indiana Department of Correction.

"Although I argued for a much longer period of incarceration, I am relieved for the people of the community Mr. Sprinkle will be unable to victimize other children for the next three-and-a-half years," Thompson said.

"When he leaves jail, sadly he will not be monitored by the probation department," she added.