Court of Appeals of Indiana | Memorandum Decision 90A05-1503-CR-99 | November 10, 2015 Page 1 of 11

MEMORANDUM DECISION

Pursuant to Ind. Appellate Rule 65(D), 

this Memorandum Decision shall not be 

regarded as precedent or cited before any 

court except for the purpose of establishing 

the defense of res judicata, collateral 

estoppel, or the law of the case.

ATTORNEY FOR APPELLANT

Jeremy K. Nix

MATHENY, HAHN, DENMAN & 

NIX, LLP

Huntington, Indiana

ATTORNEYS FOR APPELLEE

Gregory F. Zoeller

Attorney General of Indiana

Cynthia L. Ploughe

Deputy Attorney General

Indianapolis, Indiana

IN THE

COURT OF APPEALS OF INDIANA

Scott D. Hartman,

Appellant-Defendant,

v.

State of Indiana,

Appellee-Plaintiff

November 10, 2015

Court of Appeals Case No.

90A05-1503-CR-99

Appeal from the Wells Circuit

Court

The Honorable Kenton W. 

Kiracofe, Judge

Trial Court Cause No.

90C01-1405-FD-35

Mathias, Judge.

[1] Following a jury trial, Scott Hartman (“Hartman”) was convicted in the Wells 

Circuit Court of Class D felony theft and Class A misdemeanor driving while 
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suspended and was found to be a habitual offender. Hartman was ordered to 

serve an aggregate sentence of eight years in the Department of Correction. 

Hartman now appeals and presents two issues for our review, which we restate 

as:

I. Whether the trial court abused its discretion in denying Hartman’s 

motion for continuance; and,

II. Whether Hartman’s aggregate eight-year sentence is inappropriate

in light of the nature of the offense and the character of the 

offender. 

[2] We affirm. 

Facts and Procedural History

[3] Late in the afternoon on May 27, 2014, John Peterson (“Peterson”), assistant 

manager of the Bluffton Walmart, was conducting a routine store walk through 

when he noticed Hartman in the electronics department with two televisions in 

his cart. Peterson greeted Hartman, who appeared “very agitated” as he quickly 

rushed away from Peterson toward the hardware department. Appellee’s Br. at 

3. Associates in the electronics department told Peterson that Hartman had not 

paid for the televisions, so he followed Hartman at a distance. 

[4] Associates in the hardware department then notified Peterson that another man 

was “throwing” items into his cart, and when Hartman arrived at the hardware 

department, he began doing the same. Tr. p. 74. Peterson then followed both 

men to the store exit and after they crossed the point of purchase requested their 

receipts. Neither man acknowledged Peterson, so he again asked for their 

receipts. Hartman, still ignoring Peterson, responded to the other man, “[G]o, 
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go, go. . . [;] just go[!]” Id. Peterson watched the men maneuver the carts into 

the parking lot and quickly throw the merchandise into the trunk of a red Buick. 

Another assistant manager called the police as the men sped off with the items 

hanging out of the trunk. Id. at 75. 

[5] Indiana State Police Trooper, Shane Neuenschwander (“Neuenschwander”) 

was patrolling the area south of the Bluffton Walmart when he heard a dispatch 

about two white men, who had stolen merchandise from Walmart, leaving in a 

maroon Buick. Tr. p. 60. In his rear-view mirror, Neuenschwander saw a 

vehicle matching that description exit the store parking lot. He allowed the 

vehicle to pass him and observed two white men in the car and an open trunk 

with two televisions and power equipment hanging out. Id. Neuenschwander 

stopped the vehicle that Hartman was driving and explained the reason for the 

stop. Hartman stated that he had stolen nothing but admitted to Trooper 

Neuenschwander that he believed his driver’s license was suspended. Tr. p. 62. 

[6] Shortly thereafter, Officer Ferrell Swindell (“Swindell”) of the Bluffton Police 

Department arrived. Hartman identified himself to Swindell. At first, Hartman 

offered conflicting stories about the merchandise in the car but finally admitted 

to Swindell that he had stolen the items. Tr. p. 69. 

[7] The State charged Hartman with Class D felony theft and Class A 

misdemeanor driving while suspended. At the initial hearing on May 29, 2015, 

Hartman requested a speedy trial, despite the trial court’s admonishment to 

Hartman that the shortened time to prepare for trial would disadvantage 
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Hartman’s appointed counsel. The trial court set the trial for July 7, 2014. 

Hartman posted bond and was released on June 16, 2014. App. p. 96. On June 

27, 2014, Hartman filed a motion for continuance of the jury trial, which the 

trial court denied. Appellant’s App. pp. 100-01. 

[8] On July 7, 2014, Hartman appeared with counsel for the jury trial but renewed 

his motion for continuance, explaining that counsel was not prepared for trial. 

Hartman also told the court that he wanted new counsel appointed. Tr. p. 26. 

The trial court denied Hartman’s motion for continuance and did not grant his 

request to replace counsel. The trial court sought a brief recess, instructing all 

parties to arrive back in the courtroom at a particular time. Hartman failed to 

return. Officer Swindell testified that he saw Hartman get into a car and drive 

away from the courthouse. Tr. p. 47. Hartman’s counsel presented Hartman’s 

defense without Hartman present, and the jury found him guilty of both 

charges.

[9] During the habitual offender phase of the trial, the State sought enhancement of 

Hartman’s charges by proving that Hartman was convicted of Class C felony 

forgery in 2006 and Class D felony theft in 2013. He also had a prior conviction 

for driving while suspended in 2012. The State presented evidence that 

Hartman’s fingerprint records from the current arrest matched his fingerprints 

from the prior arrests in 2004 and 2011, which resulted in the 2006 and 2013 

felony convictions. The jury found Hartman to be a habitual offender. The trial 

court then revoked Hartman’s bond and issued a bench warrant for his arrest. 
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[10] At the sentencing hearing on February 18, 2015, and with Hartman present, the 

trial court considered Hartman’s two prior burglary convictions, forgery 

conviction, and five theft convictions. Tr. p. 160. Additionally, the court 

highlighted Hartman’s misdemeanor convictions including: disorderly conduct, 

check deception, conversion, driving while suspended, complicity, intimidation, 

and false information. Id. The trial court also considered Hartman’s failure to 

appear for trial. The court listed Hartman’s criminal history and the most recent 

violations of pretrial release and probation as significant aggravating factors. Id.

at 162. The court found no mitigating factors. As a result, Hartman was 

sentenced to three years for Class D felony theft with an additional four and 

one half years for the habitual offender enhancement. Hartman was also 

sentenced to a consecutive term of six months for the driving while suspended 

offense for a total sentence of eight years. He now appeals. 

I. Hartman’s Denied Motion for Continuance

[11] When a party moves for a continuance that is not required by statute, we 

review the trial court’s decision for an abuse of discretion. Zanussi v. State, 2 

N.E.3d 731, 734 (Ind. Ct. App. 2013) (citing Flake v. State, 767 N.E.2d 1004, 

1008 (Ind. Ct. App. 2002)). An abuse of discretion occurs when the ruling is 

against the logic and effect of facts and circumstances before the court or the 

record demonstrates prejudice from the denial of a continuance. Id.

Continuances to allow more time for preparation are generally disfavored in 

criminal cases. Risner v. State, 604 N.E.2d 13, 14 (Ind. Ct. App. 1992), trans. 

denied. “Such motions require a specific showing as to how the additional time 
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would have aided counsel.” Robinson v. State, 724 N.E.2d 628, 634 (Ind. Ct. 

App. 2000), trans. denied. 

[12] Hartman argues that the trial court abused its discretion in denying his motion 

for continuance because he was required to proceed to trial without ever 

discussing the merits of his case with his attorney. He argues that this was 

extremely prejudicial. However, Hartman requested and received a speedy trial 

under Ind. Crim. Rule 4(B)(1). At the time of Hartman’s request the trial court 

warned Hartman that the request for a speedy trial might place his attorney at a 

significant disadvantage. Nonetheless, Hartman insisted that the matter be set 

for a speedy trial, so the court set the date for July 7, 2014, thirty-nine days after 

his initial hearing.

[13] Hartman filed a written motion for continuance on July 1, 2014, after the June 

9, 2014, pretrial motion deadline. Hartman’s motion for continuance 

specifically stated that Hartman “bonded out and was no longer entitled to a 

fast and speedy trial, his wife had serious, life threatening ailments and was 

scheduled for further treatment, plea negotiations were ongoing, and the State 

did not object to the request for a continuance.” Appellant’s App. p. 100. The 

trial court denied the motion, but Hartman renewed the motion at trial stating 

that his counsel did not have adequate time to prepare. 

[14] Hartman’s reasons for requesting a continuance were that he had posted bond, 

his wife’s alleged illness, ongoing plea negotiations, and that the State had no 

objection to a continuance. When the motion was renewed at trial, Hartman’s 
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counsel stated that he had not had adequate time to prepare for trial. However, 

he made no specific showing of what, if any, additional preparation was needed 

for trial. See Robinson, 724 N.E.2d at 634. Indeed, in light of the witnesses 

arrayed against him and his own confession, his counsel could do little on his 

behalf.

[15] Simply said, Hartman requested a speedy trial, in spite of the trial court’s 

warning that it would not allow his counsel adequate time to prepare for trial. 

He cannot invite the alleged error of refusal of a continuance for more and 

better trial preparation when he himself demanded a speedy trial despite the 

trial court’s warning. See Baugh v. State, 933 N.E.2d 1277, 1280 (Ind. 2010). In 

addition, Hartman made no showing that he was prejudiced by the court’s 

denial of the motion for continuance. For all of these reasons, the trial court did 

not abuse its discretion in denying Hartman’s motion for continuance. 

II. Inappropriate Sentence

[16] Under Indiana Appellate Rule 7(B):

[We] may revise a sentence authorized by statute if, after due 

consideration of the trial court’s decision, the Court finds that the 

sentence is inappropriate in light of the nature of the offense and 

the character of the offender. 

When reviewing a sentence, our principal role is to “leaven the outliers” rather 

than necessarily achieve what is perceived as the “correct” result. Conley v. State, 

972 N.E.2d 864, 876 (Ind. 2012). We do not look to determine if the sentence 

was appropriate; instead, we look to make sure the sentence was not 
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inappropriate. King v. State, 894 N.E.2d 265, 268 (Ind. Ct. App. 2008). 

Sentencing is principally a discretionary function in which the trial court’s 

judgment should receive considerable deference. Cardwell v. State, 895 N.E.2d 

1219, 1222 (Ind. 2008) (citing Morgan v. State, 675 N.E.2d 1067, 1072 (Ind. 

1996)). Therefore, the defendant has the burden of persuading us that his 

sentence is inappropriate. Childress v. State, 848 N.E.2d 1073, 1080 (Ind. 2006). 

[17] The advisory sentence is the starting point the Legislature has selected as an 

appropriate sentence for the crime committed in assessing the nature of the 

offense. Anglemyer v. State, 868 N.E.2d 482, 494 (Ind. 2007). The “character of 

the offender” portion of the sentence involves consideration of the aggravating 

and mitigating circumstances and general considerations. Clara v. State, 899 

N.E.2d 733, 735 (Ind. Ct. App. 2009).

[18] Hartman was convicted of Class D felony theft and Class A misdemeanor 

driving while suspended. On the date Hartman committed the offense, Indiana 

law provided that:

[a] person who commits a Class D felony shall be 

imprisoned for a fixed term of between six (6) months and 

three (3) years with the advisory sentence being one and 

one-half years (1 1⁄2). 

Ind. Code § 35-50-2-7 (2014).

[19] The jury also found Hartman to be a habitual offender. Under Indiana law:
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[t]he court shall sentence a person found to be a habitual 

offender to an additional fixed term that is not less than the 

advisory sentence for the underlying offense nor more than 

three (3) times the advisory sentences for the underlying 

offense. However, the additional sentence may not exceed 

thirty (30) years. 

Ind. Code § 35-50-2-8(h) (2014). The trial court sentenced Hartman to three

years for the theft offense and enhanced that sentence by four and one half

years for the habitual offender adjudication. Further, Indiana code section 35-

50-3-2 provided that “[a] person who commits a Class A misdemeanor shall be 

imprisoned for a fixed term of not more than one (1) year. Hartman received a 

consecutive six-month term for driving while suspended. 

[20] Hartman argues that nature of the underlying offenses does not justify the eightyear sentence imposed. He contends that the jury found that he stole televisions 

and power equipment from Walmart, that he was stopped by an Indiana State 

Trooper after leaving Walmart and admitted to stealing the items after 

identifying himself to police, that he notified the police that his driver’s license 

was suspended, and all of the property was quickly returned to Walmart 

unopened. 

[21] However, we must also assess the character of the offender, which in this case, 

as in most cases, is found in the history of prior crimes committed by the 

offender. The significance of a criminal history in assessing a defendant’s 

character and an appropriate sentence varies based on the gravity, nature, 

proximity, and number of prior offenses in relation to the current offense. 

Bryant v. State, 841 N.E.2d 1154, 1156 (Ind. 2006). Here, Hartman has an 
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extensive criminal history, especially offenses against the property of others, 

like the theft conviction here. At the sentencing hearing, Hartman admitted to 

convictions for check deception in 2003, burglary in 2004, conversion in 2004, 

forgery in 2004, and five prior convictions of Class D felony theft in 2003, 2005, 

2008, 2010, and 2011. Tr. p. 146. 

[22] In these past instances, trial courts have shown Hartman leniency and have 

given him opportunities for rehabilitation. For example, in 2006, Hartman was 

sentenced to four years for Class D felony theft then released on parole in 2007. 

One year later, Hartman violated the terms of parole by committing a new 

offense and returned to prison. See Appellant’s App. pp. 121-22.

[23] Hartman argues that the trial court should have considered his education, 

service in the military, care for his wife with Crohn’s Disease, and maintenance 

of close relationships with his adult children in assessing his character.1

However, although Hartman received both his GED and Associate’s degree 

while in prison, he still chose to attempt to make a living dishonestly. 

Additionally, no information in the record indicates that Hartman personally 

cares for his wife or helps support any of his six children. 

[24] Further, Hartman has failed to appear in court on several prior occasions 

related to charges and convictions. In this case, Hartman left the courthouse 

 

1 Hartman argues that the trial court erred by failing to consider these factors. However, Hartman 

waived the mitigating circumstances argument by failing to cite to the proper abuse of discretion 

standard and by not developing the argument any further. See Ind. R. App. P. 46 (A)(8)(a).
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and remained absent while his jury trial occurred because the trial court denied 

his motion for a continuance and did not allow for a change of counsel. For all 

of these reasons, Hartman’s eight-year sentence was not inappropriate.

Conclusion

[25] The trial court did not abuse its discretion in denying Hartman’s motion for 

continuance. Further, Harman’s aggregate eight-year sentence imposed by the 

trial court was not inappropriate in light of the nature of the offenses and 

Hartman’s character. 

[26] Affirmed. 

Baker, J., and Bailey, J., concur.