Indianapolis man sentenced to 15 years for dealing methamphetamine

Last Updated on December 13, 2023 by Office of Cass County Prosecuting Attorney Noah Schafer

LOGANSPORT – Prosecutor Noah Schafer announced that Luis Antonio Lopez Aleman, 41, of Indianapolis, was sentenced to fifteen years in the Indiana Department of Correction for dealing methamphetamine. Aleman was sentenced in Cass County Superior Court Two by Judge Lisa Swaim following a guilty plea on taken on September 19th. Aleman had originally been scheduled to be tried before a jury on September 20th, but entered into the plea agreement in which he agreed to testify against codefendant Jose Zuniga in exchange for a sentence of fifteen years. Zuniga went to trial and was ultimately sentenced to twenty-eight years in the Department of Corrections.

Before being sentenced, Aleman filed a motion asking to withdraw his plea of guilty, citing trouble understanding English, the bad conduct of other people, and his opinion that certain evidence against him had been illegally obtained as reasons he should be allowed to withdraw. Judge Swaim denied this motion, pointing out that translation services had been provided for all court hearings and that the court had already ruled in prior hearings that no evidence had been illegally obtained by the police, as well as that the plea was taken specifically at the request of the defense on the eve of his trial.

Prosecutor Noah Schafer had this to say following the sentencing: “We’re grateful to law enforcement for catching this pair of drug dealers bringing poison into our community. That they ultimately turned on each other and assisted in their own demise is to be expected. We will continue to use the force of law to break up such gangs and send them elsewhere.”

SOURCE: News release from Office of Cass County Prosecuting Attorney Noah Schafer