GREENFIELD — A Hancock County jury found a local woman not guilty of drug dealing following a single-day trial this week in Hancock Circuit Court.
Kristina Fogle of Fortville was arrested in July 2017 amid allegations she’d sold drugs to a confidential informant in two instances orchestrated by police. She was one of nine people accused of dealing or conspiring to deal and charged in a countywide sweep led by the Greenfield Police Department, officials said.
But the drugs the woman was accused of selling were prescribed to her by a doctor to treat arthritis. Fogle, who this week took the witness stand in her own defense, told the six-member jury panel she never sold anyone her medication.
The two drug deals police say Fogle was involved with were recorded, according to testimony.
But after issuing their not guilty verdict, jurors told prosecutors that the audio played during this week’s trial wasn’t clear, so there wasn’t evidence to convict Fogle of a crime, officials said.
Fogle was originally charged with five criminal counts: one Level 5 felony count of corrupt business influence; two Level 6 felony counts of dealing a Schedule 3 controlled substance; and two Class A misdemeanor counts of possession of a controlled substance.
Three of those allegations were dismissed by prosecutor, and Fogle was found not guilty of the remaining two, officials said.
Prior to trial beginning on Tuesday, prosecutors dismissed the count of corrupt business influence that they’d filed against Fogle.
Then, after presenting evidence and just before resting their case, prosecutors opted to dismiss the two misdemeanor-level possession allegations. Fogle was prescribed the drugs she had by a doctor, therefore possessing them was not illegal, officials said.
The jury deliberated for less than two hours before finding Fogle not guilty.
Fogle was represented in the case by Fortville attorney Randy Sorrell. Sorrell could not be reached for comment on this story.