Dealing Methamphetamine, Habitual Offender Enhancement And 40 Year Prison Sentence For Morgan Richey Upheld By Indiana Court Of Appeals Scott County

On June 9, 2025, the Indiana Court of Appeals issued its decision affirming the convictions for Dealing Methamphetamine, Possession of Paraphernalia, and being a Habitual Offender against Morgan Richey.

The appellate court also upheld the forty (40) year sentence she received for her crimes.

In April of 2023, the prosecutor’s office conducted a 3-day trial in which a jury of Scott County citizens found Morgan. Richey guilty of Dealing Methamphetamine, Possession of Paraphernalia, and being a Habitual Offender.

She was sentenced in August 2023 to a total of forty (40) years in prison for these offenses. In the appeal of her conviction, Ms. Richey argued that the entrance into her home in March of 2022 during the execution of a warrant for her arrest by Indiana State Police officers was not proper.

However, the Court of Appeals found that officers acted within the law and that entry into the home of Ms. Richey was proper. While in the home, officers discovered a large amount of methamphetamine.

In fact, Trooper Kyle Tayler of the Indiana State Police stated that the amount of meth found in the home was the most he had ever encountered in Scott County. Trooper Taylor has been involved in over 500 drug cases throughout his career in law enforcement.

In the appeal, Ms. Richey also argued that the sentence of forty (40) years was not appropriate. However, the Indiana Court of Appeals found that given the nature of the offense and character and criminal history of Ms. Richey, the forty (40) year prison sentence was proper.

“The possession and distribution of illegal drugs in our community is something that we take seriously in the Scott County Prosecutor’s Office. It is important to us to rid our streets of illegal substances and of offenders who commit these crimes,” states Chris Owens, Scott County Prosecuting Attorney. Prosecutor Owens further states, “It is nice to see that the appellate courts also see the gravity of these offenses and the detrimental effect that repeat offenders have on a community. The Scott County Prosecutor’s Office would like to thank the Indiana State Police, the Scottsburg Police Department, and the Indiana Attorney General’s Office for their work in this case.”