John M. Hale

WARSAW — John H. Hale, 58, 511 E. Clark Street, Warsaw, has been returned to the Kosciusko County Jail after spending several months at Logansport State Hospital. He was booked into the county jail at 4:31 p.m. Monday, Sept. 21, on the original charge of child molesting, a class A felony. He is being held on $50,000 bond.

Hale was initially arrested on April 30, 2014, on the class A felony charge. During a bond hearing on July 31, 2014, he was released on his own recognizance on the condition he have no direct or indirect contact with children and no children be present in his home. However, on Sept. 26, 2014, the state sought to revoke his release, which was revoked on Oct. 2, 2014, and the resetting of his bond, after it was discovered he violated the conditions by regularly frequenting the children’s section of the Warsaw Public Library for long periods of time.

His court appointed attorney, Jay Rigdon, filed a motion to reconsider the bond revocation, and on Oct. 3, 2014, he was released from the sheriff’s custody to reside at Mason Health & Rehabilitation Facility, Warsaw, as soon as possible. Various proceedings took place through Jan. 16, at which time the defense filed a motion for psychiatric examination to determine his competence to stand trial. It was on June 22, evidence was submitted that he was not competent. A copy of the order and report was delivered to the Division of Mental Health.

Hale was transported to Logansport State Hospital on July 27, after the court received notice a bed was available. The following day the court reconsidered his release on his own recognizance and re-established the $50,000 surety bond. A warrant was reissued on July 28.

The order, finding Hale was not competent, states whenever Hale attained the ability to understand proceedings and assist in his defense, it would be certified to the court and he be returned to the county jail. The document also states within 90 days after his admission to the state facility, the agency was to certify to the court if he has the substantial probability of attaining the ability to understand proceedings and assist in the preparation of his defense in the foreseeable future.

The court documents state if that probability did not exist, commitment proceedings should begin. A time frame for this decision was stated in the documents.

The Charges

Hale’s charge stems from an investigation by Warsaw Police in February 2014, when Indiana Department of Child Services came to police to report a child under 14 years of age had been sexually assaulted by Hale approximately 20 times between January 2010 and Nov. 20, 2012. The assault involved various sexual acts.

It was also learned that Hale had sexual intercourse with the victim’s mother four or five times, who was 22 years of age at the time, as well as the sister of the victim, whose age was not provided, nightly between June 2012 and August 2012.

Hale admitted having sexual relationships with the 22-year-old and the sister of the victim. His wife also admitted knowing of those relationships.