Akeenen Anton Lamar Hunt, 34, Fishers
HANCOCK COUNTY — The Fishers man who was convicted and sentenced earlier this summer to a 46-year term for violent crimes committed in the county last year had a second trial last week and was found guilty on 106 different charges. This case surrounded the same woman the man had been found guilty of raping and beating in the previous trial held in July.
Akeenen Anton Lamar Hunt, 34, had been charged with 102 different Class A misdemeanor charges of invasion of privacy where a person violates a protective order as well as four different Level 5 felony counts of obstruction of justice stemming from numerous incidents in December of 2023 through January. While Hunt was an inmate in the Hancock County Jail officials charged him for calling the victim over 100 times despite a protection order being in place where contact with the victim was not allowed.
The jury trial was heard in Hancock County Circuit Court where judge Scott Sirk oversaw the four day trial last week. Prosecutor Brent Eaton said it was an extraordinary case with over 100 charges and that his office presented 218 exhibits to prove the crimes.
“This is not something we’ve seen in the courtroom before, but we take the protection of victims seriously here,” Eaton said. “We went aggressively after someone who repeatedly violated a ‘no contact’ order while the main case was pending. While he was incarcerated, he continued on almost a daily basis to completely and totally disregard the court’s order.”
Eaton noted his office takes these types of violations seriously and will continue to do so in the future.
“We have to hold people accountable who have disdain for the courts and the authority of the law in Indiana,” Eaton said. “We take court orders seriously and we’re gratified by the jury’s decision.”
Hunt took the stand in his own defense and told the courtroom he did invade the victim’s privacy one time, but was charged 106 different crimes. Hunt said he should have been able to make as many calls as he wanted and should have only have been charged for one violation.
“I didn’t do anything wrong,” Hunt said.
Chief deputy prosecutor Aimee Herring said to Hunt, “you called her so many times you can’t keep track, is that correct?” Hunt replied, “yes.”
Hancock County public defender Myron Rahn defended Hunt in the case and asked the jury to find him not guilty noting his client did break the contact order one time, but that he should not be repeatedly charged after it was broken the first time. Rahn also noted his client never asked the victim to lie if she testified referring to the obstruction of justice charges.
Herring detailed evidence of the violations and asked the jury to hold Hunt accountable for what he did.
“How many times did he call her?” Herring said. “Too many times for him to count. We counted and the result was the charges we have here today.”
When Sirk read the jury’s verdict aloud, Hunt tried arguing with the court, but Sirk had him removed from the courtroom and warned Hunt to not say another word while he was taken out.
Following the trial, Herring noted she was pleased the jury understood the complexities of the abuse case and the defendant’s disregard for the law.
“This man will continue to abuse the law if given the opportunity it do it,” Herring said. “There have been multiple and repeated acts of misconduct over and over and over again.”
Herring noted it was important to hold Hunt accountable for each offense and agreed with Eaton in that the office is sending a clear signal that offenders will be held accountable.
“That’s the message,” Herring said. “If you come to Hancock County and you are told by a court what you can and can’t do that’s what it means and in Hancock County we’re going to enforce the law and protect victims to the letter of the law.”
Herring went on to say the office is thankful for the resources county officials have given the office so they can pursue these types of cases.
Class A misdemeanors carry up to one year in jail and a $5,000 fine while the Level 5 felony charges carry between one and six years and up to a $10,000 fine. It means Hunt could be facing more than 100 years for the charges against him which should run consecutive to his current 46-year term. Hunt is expected to be sentenced on the new convictions Sept. 10.
