Eric P. Schenk, 37, Greenfield
HANCOCK COUNTY — The Greenfield man who was arrested and charged with contributing to teenage gun violence in the county had his case settled in Hancock County Circuit Court late last week via a plea agreement.
Eric P Schenk, 37, 1100 block of West Seventh Street, pleaded guilty after he reportedly purchased guns, ammunition and machine gun conversion devices for his 16-year-old son.
According to court documents, Schenk was sentenced to three years after he admitted guilt to one count of dangerous control of a child, a Level 5 felony. According to documents, Schenk will serve one year in Hancock County Jail, with credit for any time served, followed by one year as a direct commitment to Hancock County Community Corrections on home detention, and one year suspended to formal probation.
As part of the plea deal, the state dismissed the other charges associated with the case, a Level 5 felony count of contributing to the delinquency of a minor-child under 18 commits, and a neglect of a dependent charge, a Level 6 felony.
Officials say he is the father of a juvenile connected to multiple ongoing investigations regarding juveniles and the illegal possession of firearms and narcotics.
According to a probable cause affidavit, Schenk’s son was connected to a stolen gun making its way into the hands of another juvenile this summer. Schenk’s son, who is 16, was arrested after a search warrant was served on his residence, 1100 block of West Seventh Street, by detectives with the Greenfield Police Department (GPD) and the Hancock County Joint Tactical Team on July 21.
During the search officials in the affidavit say they found a loaded Glock 9mm handgun, a loaded extended magazine and a separate gun case containing 9mm ammunition and .22 caliber ammunition were recovered as evidence and were determined to belong to a juvenile.
Additionally, officials noted in the report there were a very large number of vape pens for both THC and nicotine, several hundred “blunt” wrappers, CBD flower, and various pipes and empty alcohol bottles located in the residence in plain and immediate view in the living room and a bedroom associated with the 16-year-old juvenile, Schenk’s son.
During the execution of the warrant at the home by the SWAT team, Schenk, officials said, communicated with his juvenile son on the phone, instructing him to ignore commands over a loud speaker to exit the residence until a flash bang was deployed.
Officials noted in the affidavit they also collected as evidence a full auto conversion switch and that full auto conversion switches are considered a machine gun under Indiana and Federal law and require permits to legally possess. Schenk and his brother, officials say, were the only adults residing at the residence and are both convicted felons and cannot legally possess firearms.
The affidavit went on to say there were extensive messages between Schenk and his son making it very clear that not only was Schenk aware that his son had firearm(s) and was involved in narcotics and nicotine use, but that Schenk provided items to his son and purchased them for him.
Schenk told officials he thought his son only had a handgun for protection, the affidavit stated. That, officials noted, was in reference to previous incidents, including a juvenile who was shot accidentally at a party at Schenk’s residence in 2022 where the son had allegedly been threatened with retaliation.
