Moores Hill Man Receives 50 Year Sentence for Habitual Drug Dealing

Jerole Adams was convicted of multiple charges in September.

Jerole Adams.

(Dearborn County, Ind.) - Jerole Adams, 49, of Moores Hill, has been sentenced after being convicted of multiple serious drug offenses by a Dearborn County jury. 

Adams was convicted in September on two Level 2 felonies for Dealing Methamphetamine, a Level 4 felony for Dealing Cocaine, and a Level 6 felony for Possession of a Syringe. He was also found to be a Habitual Offender, which is a sentencing enhancement. 

On November 7, Adams received a maximum sentence of 30 years for the dealing convictions and an additional 20 years under Indiana's Habitual Offender statute. The Habitual Offender enhancement reflects Adams' extensive criminal history and prior felony convictions, according to Prosecutor Lynn Deddens. 

Since 1993, Adams has been charged with at least seven prior felonies and six prior misdemeanors, including crimes of violence, offenses against property, and crimes targeting individuals. Most notably, Adams received a 40-year prison sentence in 2005 for dealing methamphetamine within 1,000 feet of a school, a Class A felony. He was paroled in November 2023, but soon resumed criminal activity, committing the offenses for which he was recently convicted, as well as reckless driving.

While Adams claimed his conduct was motivated by drug addiction, the court found this unpersuasive. He consistently tested negative for drug use while on parole. The court noted that Adams had repeatedly been given opportunities to reform, including shock probation, in-home detention, and prior probation periods before his 2005 sentence, yet none of these interventions deterred him from returning to criminal behavior. Evidence presented at trial demonstrated that Adams was a major drug dealer in the community, with thousands of dollars in cash in his possession at the time of his arrest, likely proceeds from illegal sales.

The court concluded that Adams' persistent criminal conduct underscores that previous punishments and rehabilitation efforts had little effect, making the maximum sentence necessary to protect the public and testimony from his associates confirmed he was not a user, but a dealer. This, the court said, further demonstrated the calculated and dangerous nature of his actions. Taking all factors into account, including his long history of criminal behavior and repeated failures to reform, the court determined Adams to be one of the "worst of the worst," justifying the maximum sentence.

"This maximum sentence serves as a clear and unequivocal message to habitual offenders who choose to commit crimes in Dearborn County. This Prosecutor's Office remains steadfast in its commitment to holding repeat offenders accountable and closing the revolving door to our jail," stated Prosecutor Deddens.