Campbell loses appeal of sentence

A Richmond man sentenced to 98 years in prison in the 2012 killing of Mike Sekse lost his appeal to shorten the sentence.

The Court of Appeals of Indiana filed its decision on Dec. 22 affirming Wayne County Superior Court I Judge Charles Todd Jr.'s sentence for Robert Campbell. Judge Michael Barnes wrote the appeals court's opinion, with Judge James Kirsch and Judge Edward Najam concurring.

Todd sentenced Campbell, 21, to the 98 years on Feb. 6 after Campbell had pleaded guilty on Jan. 30 to murder, conspiracy to commit robbery causing serious bodily injury (a Class A felony) and conspiracy to commit armed robbery (a Class B felony).

Campbell received 60 years for murder, 38 years for the A felony and 14 years for the B felony. The two conspiracy sentences were ordered served concurrently but consecutively to the murder sentence.

Campbell claimed his sentence was inappropriate in light of his character, his age at the time of the offense and the nature of his offenses.

Barnes writes in the opinion that Campbell did plead guilty and expressed remorse at his sentencing hearing, which could reflect positively on his character. However, the opinion defers to Todd's judgement stated during the sentencing hearing that Campbell's remorse was more because of his situation than to the impact his actions had on Sekse's family.

The opinion says Campbell's criminal history — including juvenile offenses and at least three years of dealing marijuana — and about 70 conduct violations in the Wayne County Jail presented "considerable evidence of Campbell's negative character, significantly outweighing the positive effect of his guilty plea."

Barnes wrote the court gave no special consideration to the fact that Campbell was 18 at the time of the crimes because Campbell falls into the category of a "hardened and purposeful" offender. Campbell's culpability in the crimes against Sekse and his often large-scale history of dealing marijuana led the court to rule Campbell was not a "youthful, naive defendant" who was led into the crimes.

The appeals judges said greed was the only apparent motive for the crimes against Sekse, which were planned by Campbell using his marijuana dealing to lure Sekse into a trap. The opinion also notes Campbell took steps to cover up the crimes and fled the state using money stolen from Sekse "to support himself and buy more drugs."

"Nothing about the nature of the offenses warrants a reduction of Campbell's sentence," Barnes wrote.

Campbell is incarcerated at the Pendleton Correctional Facility, according to the Indiana Department of Correction. His projected release date is Sept. 14, 2061.

Four other defendants also are serving sentences for the March 20, 2012, killing of Sekse in a shed behind a Sheridan Street home. Sekse was being stabbed by the co-defendants when Campbell shot him in the head.

• Jonathan Gray, 28, is serving 90 years at the Wabash Valley Level 3 Facility, with a projected release date of June 7, 2057.

• David E. Lady Jr., 21, is serving 55 years at the Indiana State Prison, with a projected release date of Nov. 28, 2039.

• Montell Westfall, 20, is serving 45 years in the Indiana State Prison, with a projected release date of Nov. 24, 2034.

• Matthew Allen is serving 40 years in the Wabash Valley Level 4 Facility, with a projected release date of May 11, 2032.

Gray, Lady and Westfall each were convicted of murder and conspiracy to commit robbery charges, while Allen was convicted of Class A felony robbery causing serious bodily injury.