By Liz Shepherd
InkFreeNews

Anna Bailey

PLYMOUTH — Former Kosciusko County Community Corrections Director Anna Bailey will serve a 2 1/2 year sentence through probation and community corrections on an official misconduct charge.

Bailey, 43, Twelve Mile, was sentenced in Marshall County Superior Court Two on Tuesday, Dec. 21.

The Level 6 felony official misconduct charge stems from a fall 2019 incident in which Bailey was aware of a community corrections inmate and KCCC employee violating KCCC rules. A Level 6 felony obstruction of justice charge Bailey was facing was dismissed as part of a plea agreement.

In court, Whitley County Prosecutor D.J. Sigler, who served as the special prosecutor in the entirety of Bailey’s criminal case, asked the court to accept the plea agreement.

“It’s a fair resolution to this matter,” said Sigler.

Sigler said Bailey participating in a community corrections program as part of her sentence was “ironic” but noted it would allow for strict, direct supervision.

Defense Attorney Adam Tavitas said Bailey was embarrassed by her actions. Tavitas told the court he would be shocked if other issues arose while Bailey served her sentence through Cass County Community Corrections and probation.

“Anna Bailey is a nice person and she did something she realizes is wrong,” said Tavitas.

“I apologize to those in the (Kosciusko County Community Corrections) program that I affected and hurt,” said Bailey. “I deeply regret my actions.”

For official misconduct, Marshall County Superior Court Two Judge Dean Colvin sentenced Bailey to 2 1/2 years in the Indiana Department of Correction. She will serve her sentence through Cass County’s Community Corrections program and on probation. Bailey resides in Cass County.

Bailey will serve 1 1/2 years through Cass County Community Corrections and one year on probation.

“This is a rare, unusual circumstance against an individual who was in a position of responsibility,” said Judge Colvin. “It does not speak well for the system.”

Steven Gasaway, 31; and Taylor Pagan, 25, both of Warsaw, are Bailey’s co-defendants in this case. Gasaway, the former community corrections inmate involved in this matter, is charged with escape, a level 6 felony. He will be sentenced at 1:30 p.m. Feb. 25, 2022.

Pagan, Bailey’s former assistant, is charged with aiding, inducing or causing escape, a level 6 felony. She has a pretrial conference at 1:15 p.m. Feb. 25, 2022.

Gasaway and Pagan’s cases are also being handled by the Marshall County Courts.