Calvin Merida v. State of Indiana

An investigation showed Merida had been molesting a girl from the time she was five or six years old, starting perhaps as early as 2000. In all, Merida was charged with ten counts of child molesting covering the period from 2000 through 2007. After a jury was empanelled but before evidence was offered, Merida pled guilty to two counts of child molesting as Class A felonies. See Ind.Code § 35-42-4-3(a) (2008). The remaining counts were dismissed. The sentencing range for a Class A felony is from twenty years to fifty years; the advisory sentence is thirty years. See I.C. § 35-50-2-4 (2008).

The…