Sec. 7. (a) A person who commits a Class D felony (for a crime committed before July 1, 2014) shall be imprisoned for a fixed term of between six (6) months and three (3) years, with the advisory sentence being one and one-half (1 1/2) years. In addition, the person may be fined not more than ten thousand dollars ($10,000).

     (b) A person who commits a Level 6 felony (for a crime committed after June 30, 2014) shall be imprisoned for a fixed term of between six (6) months and two and one-half (2 1/2) years, with the advisory sentence being one (1) year. In addition, the person may be fined not more than ten thousand dollars ($10,000).

     (c) Notwithstanding subsections (a) and (b), if a person has committed a Class D felony (for a crime committed before July 1, 2014) or a Level 6 felony (for a crime committed after June 30, 2014), the court may enter judgment of conviction of a Class A misdemeanor and sentence accordingly. However, the court shall enter a judgment of conviction of a Class D felony (for a crime committed before July 1, 2014) or a Level 6 felony (for a crime committed after June 30, 2014) if:

(1) the court finds that:

(A) the person has committed a prior, unrelated felony for which judgment was entered as a conviction of a Class A misdemeanor; and

(B) the prior felony was committed less than three (3) years before the second felony was committed;

(2) the offense is domestic battery as a Class D felony (for a crime committed before July 1, 2014) or a Level 6 felony (for a crime committed after June 30, 2014) under IC 35-42-2-1.3; or

(3) the offense is possession of child pornography (IC 35-42-4-4(d)).

The court shall enter in the record, in detail, the reason for its action whenever it exercises the power to enter judgment of conviction of a Class A misdemeanor granted in this subsection.

     (d) Notwithstanding subsections (a) and (b), the sentencing court may convert a Class D felony conviction (for a crime committed before July 1, 2014) or a Level 6 felony conviction (for a crime committed after June 30, 2014) to a Class A misdemeanor conviction if, after receiving a verified petition as described in subsection (e) and after conducting a hearing of which the prosecuting attorney has been notified, the court makes the following findings:

(1) The person is not a sex or violent offender (as defined in IC 11-8-8-5).

(2) The person was not convicted of a Class D felony (for a crime committed before July 1, 2014) or a Level 6 felony (for a crime committed after June 30, 2014) that resulted in bodily injury to another person.

(3) The person has not been convicted of perjury under IC 35-44.1-2-1 (or IC 35-44-2-1 before its repeal) or official misconduct under IC 35-44.1-1-1 (or IC 35-44-1-2 before its repeal).

(4) The person has not been convicted of domestic battery as a Class D felony (for a crime committed before July 1, 2014) or a Level 6 felony (for a crime committed after June 30, 2014) under IC 35-42-2-1.3 in the fifteen (15) year period immediately preceding the commission of the current offense.

(5) At least three (3) years have passed since the person:

(A) completed the person’s sentence; and

(B) satisfied any other obligation imposed on the person as part of the sentence;

for the Class D or Level 6 felony.

(6) The person has not been convicted of a felony since the person:

(A) completed the person’s sentence; and

(B) satisfied any other obligation imposed on the person as part of the sentence;

for the Class D or Level 6 felony.

(7) No criminal charges are pending against the person.

     (e) A petition filed under subsection (d) or (f) must be verified and set forth:

(1) the crime the person has been convicted of;

(2) the date of the conviction;

(3) the date the person completed the person’s sentence;

(4) any obligations imposed on the person as part of the sentence;

(5) the date the obligations were satisfied; and

(6) a verified statement that there are no criminal charges pending against the person.

     (f) If a person whose Class D or Level 6 felony conviction has been converted to a Class A misdemeanor conviction under subsection (d) is convicted of a felony not later than five (5) years after the conversion under subsection (d), a prosecuting attorney may petition a court to convert the person’s Class A misdemeanor conviction back to a Class D felony conviction (for a crime committed before July 1, 2014) or a Level 6 felony conviction (for a crime committed after June 30, 2014).

As added by Acts 1976, P.L.148, SEC.8. Amended by Acts 1977, P.L.340, SEC.120; Acts 1982, P.L.204, SEC.40; P.L.334-1983, SEC.3; P.L.136-1987, SEC.7; P.L.167-1990, SEC.2; P.L.188-1999, SEC.9; P.L.98-2003, SEC.3; P.L.71-2005, SEC.10; P.L.69-2012, SEC.6; P.L.13-2013, SEC.145; P.L.159-2013, SEC.5; P.L.158-2013, SEC.660; P.L.168-2014, SEC.117; P.L.13-2016, SEC.19; P.L.40-2019, SEC.14.