A Dubois County man accused of sending threatening messages to Lt. Gov. Micah Beckwith was sentenced Tuesday to nearly a year of probation after pleading guilty to felony intimidation. Joshua Wasson, 25, of Jasper, received the sentence in Dubois Circuit Court, concluding a case that began with his arrest in late April.
Wasson pleaded guilty to one Level 6 felony count of intimidation, as well as misdemeanor charges of possessing marijuana and paraphernalia. Under the terms of a plea agreement, a second felony intimidation charge and a misdemeanor harassment charge were dismissed. Judge Nathan A. Verkamp sentenced Wasson to 544 days on the intimidation count, suspending 364 days to supervised probation. The court awarded 90 days of credit for time already served, coupled with an additional 90 days of good time credit, effectively satisfying the 180-day unsuspended portion of his sentence.
For the misdemeanor offenses, Wasson received concurrent sentences of 180 days for marijuana possession and 60 days for paraphernalia possession. Court records confirm that both of these misdemeanor sentences have already been completed.
The probation order imposes several specific conditions on Wasson. He is explicitly barred from any direct or indirect contact with Lt. Gov. Beckwith. Furthermore, the court mandates that Wasson complete anger management counseling within six months. He must also undergo substance abuse and mental health assessments, and follow through with any recommended treatment stemming from these evaluations. Should Wasson successfully complete his probation term without any revocations, he retains the option to petition the court to reduce the intimidation conviction to a Class A misdemeanor. This reclassification would, however, require final court approval.
Following the sentencing, Lt. Gov. Beckwith issued a statement to the Indiana Capital Chronicle, expressing gratitude for the outcome and thanking the Indiana State Police and Dubois County Prosecutor Beth Schroeder for their work. Beckwith emphasized the case's importance, stating it demonstrates that individuals cannot make serious violent threats online without facing consequences. He also shared his belief that Wasson would receive necessary assistance during his supervised probation.
The investigation that led to Wasson’s arrest commenced on April 30. Indiana State Police initiated action after investigating social media posts and messages that were directly aimed at Lt. Gov. Beckwith. Police reports indicate that investigators interviewed Wasson at his workplace. During the process of retrieving items from Wasson's vehicle, officers discovered suspected marijuana and drug paraphernalia. Lt. Gov. Beckwith had previously reported that the threatening messages began in March and progressively escalated in intensity before Wasson's apprehension.
Following his arrest, court records show that Wasson was placed on GPS-monitored pretrial home detention, beginning May 1. This particular release requirement remained in effect until July 28, when a written plea agreement was officially filed with the court. While the GPS monitoring was lifted at that time, other conditions of his release remained in place until the final sentencing.