Appeals court affirms multiple sex-crimes, 100-year sentence

Multiple convictions were upheld Monday against a man who had threatened, confined and sexually assaulted three Indianapolis women he picked up after offering them money for sex.

The Indiana Court of Appeals rejected arguments that the various charges relating to three different incidents should have been separated in Quanardel Wells v. State of Indiana,  49A02-1306-CR-550.

The court had previously denied Wells’ interlocutory appeal of a Marion Superior Court ruling denying his motion for severance of the offenses that took place during a span of less than a month. He offered money to three women who got in his car, and he later forced them to perform sex acts under a variety of threats, including at knifepoint.

Wells was convicted of two counts of Class A felony criminal deviate conduct, one count of Class A felony rape, two counts of Class B felony criminal deviate conduct, one count of Class B felony criminal confinement, one count of Class C felony criminal confinement, and one count of Class D felony strangulation.  He was sentenced to 100 years in prison.

Appellate Judge Melissa May wrote for the panel that Wells’ argument on his severance of charges claim was a request to review denial of the motion and that his sentence was not inappropriate.

"Wells argues his sentence is inappropriate based on his character because these offenses were fueled by his addiction to crack cocaine. We disagree. Wells has a lengthy criminal history. As a juvenile, he was waived to adult court and convicted of Class C felony battery. Since then, Wells has been convicted of ten felonies, the most recent involving crimes similar to those now before us," May wrote.