Two of Fulton County Drug Court’s graduates, Michael Fugate, left, and Daulton Conley pose in Fulton County Superior Court. InkFreeNews photo by Leah Sander.

By Leah Sander
InkFreeNews

ROCHESTER — Daulton Conley had been battling drug addiction for some time.

He was accepted into Fulton County Drug Court where he struggled with the program at first, but said after awhile he realized: “I’ve got an opportunity here to change my life.”

“It really did: it saved my life through the program,” he said.

Fulton County’s court was certified in 2020, with the first person graduating from in 2021. Through it, those facing substance-related charges complete a number of objectives in exchange for lesser punishments.

“It’s to address their underlying problems they have when coming into the criminal justice system, to address those to where they’re not coming back into the criminal justice system,” said Fulton County Superior Court Judge Greg Heller.

He’s part of the board overseeing the program, with other members consisting of: Prosecutor Mike Marrs, Deputy Prosecutor Rachel Arndt, Chief Public Defender MacKenzie Breitenstein, Chief Probation Officer Andy Holland, Probation Officer Todd Hudkins, and 4C Health Assistant Director of Criminal Justice and Peer Recovery Services Becky Clark.

Heller said he wanted to establish a court when he was first running for election in 2018.

“(Fulton Circuit Court) Judge (Christopher) Lee really worked with Andy to really get the groundwork laid in preparation for that before I even got into office,” said Heller.

People may be referred to the court by defense attorneys, judges, the prosecutor’s office and probation.

“It was started primarily for people who have had a long history of specifically substance abuse and criminal history,” Heller explained. “We have now taken in participants with lesser histories, but normally it’s not going to be for first-time offenders.”

People generally get an “upfront, fixed- plea agreement,” said Heller, which means they will face a maximum sentence for their charges if they don’t successfully complete the court.

“Honestly, if they finish the program, the felony charges normally are dismissed,” added Holland.

The program started out being 12 months, but leaders are changing it to 18 months. Those months are broken up into four phases.

In the first one, inmates must complete such requirements as drug testing twice a week, appearing in court weekly and working on obtaining employment or doing vocational/educational activities.

The first phase also includes being GPS-monitored on home detention or a stay in a residential addiction treatment facility, like Serenity House in Warsaw.

In the next three phases, requirements include program members having to get employment and maintain it, with court appearances decreasing and drug testing lessening over time.

People also move off of home monitoring into weekly case management and then weekly office visits.

Holland noted the county prefers to have no more than six people in the program at one time, with four currently going through it.

Five people have graduated from the program thus far, including Conley in 2022, with two people not able to complete the program and two other people passing away.

Conley “works for drug court now,” he said.

As a 4C Health peer recovery specialist, Conley has group meetings with those in drug court, working on a wellness relapse prevention plan for them.

“He usually assigns them some sort of homework, whether that be through curriculum or just having them work on something individually,” said Clark.

Another graduate, Michael Fugate, said he’s open to mentoring others going through the program. He completed the program in May 2024.

Fugate was a senior leader at Serenity House where he stayed for drug court. He’s working at a die casting job, which he hopes to make a career.

Fugate is finishing up his high school equivalency, with Conley obtaining his.

“The program doesn’t require it, but it did push me toward wanting to do it … I just wanted to better myself after (the program),” explained Conley.

Holland said two Fulton County Community Foundation grants and one from Indiana Court Services pay for incentives for the program. Participants receive Fulton County Chamber bucks if they do well on parts of the program.

There are also sanctions if participants mess up a little bit during the program.

“We as a team vote on the sanction and how they have done so far and the progress that they’ve made,” said Clark.

Heller noted the court wouldn’t be possible without the support of both Marrs and Arndt. He said he had seen prosecutors in other counties not react in the same way.

Other board members also praised Breitenstein for everything she’s done for drug court.

Hudkins noted he believed the court was helping people because it allowed leaders to interact more closely with offenders.

“I think that anytime that you can deal with people more on a personal level instead of a cookie-cutter type of probation situation, they’re going to get more from it,” he said.

Fugate added “all he knew” before going through drug court was just relapsing and going back to jail.

He now keeps his Serenity House certificate and his drug court graduation certificate on the wall of his house.

“That way everybody knows that I’m not the same guy I used to be. I’ve got a new life,” said Fugate.

Michael Fugate poses with those associated with Fulton County Drug Court on his graduation from it in May 2024. Shown from left are Fulton County Chief Probation Officer Andy Holland, Fulton County Superior Court Judge Greg Heller, Fugate, Fulton County Probation Officer Todd Hudkins, Fulton County Prosecutor Mike Marrs, Fulton County Chief Public Defender MacKenzie Breitenstein and Daulton Conley. Photo provided by Michael Fugate.