The courts have affirmed a 93-year sentence for Posey County man, Ricky House Jr., for his crimes committed in 2014. According to reports by WISHTV.com, House Jr. was convicted of luring a woman to his trailer and subjecting her to imprisonment, repeated rape, and abuse over a span of 58 days. His petition for post-conviction relief, claiming ineffective assistance by his trial counsel, was denied by the Indiana Court of Appeals.
After losing a previous appeal, House Jr. took his claims of unconstitutionality regarding his trial counsel to the Indiana Court of Appeals, where he was unsuccessful. His original convictions included rape, criminal confinement, and kidnapping, as well as battery resulting in bodily injury and pointing a handgun. TriStateHomePage.com details that the Attorney General of Indiana, Todd Rokita, described the case as "horrific and heart-breaking."
In a statement obtained by WEVV.com, Rokita praised his team's efforts, saying, "I commend our team's hard work to ensure justice is done in grossly disturbing cases like this one and in every case our team works on behalf of victims and all Hoosiers." The appeals team successfully argued against House's claims, which led the court to uphold the prior rulings, sustaining his lengthy prison term.
Officials reaffirmed that the upholding of the House's sentence ensures he will continue to serve his term in the Indiana Department of Correction. For those impacted by similar crimes, resources remain available, including the National Domestic Violence Hotline and the Indiana Coalition to End Sexual Assault and Human Trafficking. These resources offer support to people affected by domestic violence, child abuse, and sexual assault, providing a critical lifeline for those in need.
