A Dearborn County man who beat a close friend of 45 years so severely that doctors needed two emergency brain surgeries to save his life has been sentenced to the maximum 16 years in prison. Roger Mollaun, 62, pleaded guilty to aggravated battery for the July 28, 2025 attack on 69-year-old Bradley Spaulding, his former brother-in-law, who was ambushed from behind while repairing a television inside a small residence.
According to Eagle Country 99.3, prosecutors emphasized that the attack was planned rather than an impulsive outburst. In the days before the assault, Mollaun left a voicemail stating his intention to beat Spaulding and sent a text message warning that it would not be good once he found him. As reported by WKRC, the attack stemmed from a woman Spaulding had dated and Mollaun had been seeing for a few weeks.
A Beating Prosecutors Called Nearly Fatal
During the attack, Mollaun pinned Spaulding to the floor and, by his own admission, struck him in the head up to 20 times before kicking or stomping his leg and breaking it above the ankle, per the same account from Eagle Country 99.3. Dearborn County Prosecutor Lynn Deddens said Mollaun searched for Spaulding and continued beating him even after he lost consciousness from repeated punches, and that Mollaun threatened to kill him and showed no remorse, according to WKRC. He fled only when he heard approaching sirens.
Spaulding was left with a severe subdural hematoma that required two emergency brain surgeries. Medical personnel and Spaulding's family initially feared he would not survive the injury, the station's report notes. The court itself described the harm inflicted as close to a homicide under the law, WKRC reported.
Jail Calls and a 40-Year Criminal History
WKRC reported that recorded jail calls captured Mollaun reportedly bragging about the beating. Deddens cited that conduct, along with Mollaun's extensive criminal history, as key reasons for pursuing the maximum sentence. Court records reviewed by Eagle Country 99.3 show that history spans roughly 40 years and includes eight prior felony convictions, nine misdemeanor convictions, nine probation violations, multiple failed community supervision placements, and two habitual-offender findings.
Court filings also show Mollaun was actively serving a probation sentence when he targeted and attacked Spaulding, a fact the article notes as a major aggravating factor under Indiana law. Under Indiana Code § 35-50-2-5, Level 3 felony aggravated battery carries a statutory range of three to 16 years in prison with an advisory sentence of nine years, according to Justia Law. That means the Dearborn County judge who sentenced Mollaun on September 1 imposed the harshest term the statute allows.
Judge Cites Decades of Failed Leniency
At the sentencing hearing, the judge noted in court findings that decades of past leniency — including probation, work release, home detention, furlough, and treatment — had failed to deter Mollaun, per the same account. The court concluded that anything less than 16 years would depreciate the seriousness of the crime.
Alongside the prison term, the Dearborn County court issued a no-contact order prohibiting Mollaun from communicating directly or indirectly with Spaulding or a second named individual, Patricia Abbott. The court also ordered Mollaun to pay $4,130.57 in direct restitution to Spaulding, a sum WKRC separately described as more than $4,000. Open questions remain about Spaulding's long-term medical recovery following his brain surgeries and whether any civil action will follow beyond the court-ordered restitution.
