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Wells County

Probation Department

WELLS COUNTY Probation DEPARTMENT
102 W Market Street
Suite 404
Bluffton, IN 46714
Mon-Fri: 8AM-4:30PM
(260) 824-6496
(260) 824-6519
probation1@wellscounty.org
Gregory E. WerichChief Probation Officer
Stephanie L. EddyProbation Officer
Stephen N. PastoreAssistant Chief Probation Officer
Jessica J. NixPresentence Report Consultant
Allison C. PerryProbation Officer
Valerie N. RunyonProbation Officer
Rachel D. Yancey
Probation Officer
Jordyn A. CollinsSecretary
Greg SteeleField Officer
Travis Ford
Field Officer
VacantStudent Internship

EmeritusScott Ailor, Probation Officer
Susan Reinhard, Secretary
Jan Stronczek, Secretary
Vicki Cale, Probation Officer
In Memory
Celissa (Lisa) Masterson, Probation Officer
Dianne Schwartzkopf, Secretary

Announcements

Check-In Kiosk and QR Station
When you visit the Wells County Probation Department, please use the automated Kiosk to check in, or use 
the QR Station to easily submit information to your probation officer or check in for your meeting or drug screen 
on your own device.
Re-Entry Services

In a collaborative effort with the Wells County Jail, the Wells County Prosecutors Office and the Wells County Probation Department, a probation officer meets with inmates at the Wells County Jail weekly to facilitate access to substance abuse or mental health treatment within days of the inmate’s release. Inmates will complete the necessary paperwork to allow the probation officer to schedule appointments with providers on their behalf and act as a liaison to make access to treatment easy as possible. This program is designed to remove some of the barriers that many inmates who desire to change their behavior face upon release from incarceration. Eligible inmates are those who are approaching a sentence release date or who may be released from jail to probation supervision. Inmates may request to meet with the probation officer via the jail’s in-house system.

Pretrial Services

Pretrial Services assists the court by reviewing cases early, offering verified information, and providing supervision when ordered. We help individuals stay on track with court requirements while supporting public safety.

Probation Department Services
  • Adult Misdemeanor and Felony Probation Supervisions
  • Adult Misdemeanor and Felony Presentence Investigations
  • Adult Pretrial Services
  • Adult Re-Entry Services
  • Juvenile Delinquency Preliminary Inquiries
  • Juvenile Delinquency Informal Adjustment Services
  • Juvenile Delinquency Probation Supervisions
  • Juvenile Delinquency Predisposition Investigations
  • Juvenile Delinquency Placement Supervisions

 

Free Rides To Treatment

211, with assistance and support of FSSA, has recently announced a statewide Lyft program to offer FREE rides to and from substance abuse treatment and certified recovery support programs. To request a ride, dial 2-1-1 or 1-866-211-9966 and follow the prompts to be connected to a trained Lyft Community Navigator.

Text Message Reminders

Follow this link for more information about text message reminders for those with criminal cases  https://www.in.gov/judiciary/admin/3633.htm

Approved Programs

Generally, only programs in the Approved Counseling Programs will be approved by the supervising probation officer.  Other programs may be approved on a case-by-case basis.

Alcoholics/Narcotics Anonymous Meeting Schedule (July 2025)

Substance abuse programs must also meet standards set by the local courts for substance abuse treatment programs (see Statements and Notices below).

Statements and Notices
Disclosure of Probation Records

The Wells County Probation Department for many years prepared summary criminal history reports for individuals and agencies upon request.  Since Indiana probation departments are not depositories of public records, the practice of preparing these summaries was simply a courtesy service to the community.  However, due to limited resources the Probation Department staff discontinued these record search summaries for individuals or non-judicial agencies.

Therefore, individuals and non-judicial agencies are directed to contact the Wells County Clerk about accessing criminal records located in Wells County.  You may also wish to search records at the following public court access link: Odyssey Case Management System

Supervision Transfers (Interstate and Intrastate)

If you wish to transfer probation supervision to another Indiana county or another state, you must first speak with your probation officer. Transfer requests are not automatic and will not be considered until residence information has been verified. Additional family or support information may be required, and a Support Letter form is available below for transfer requests that involve family housing or financial support. Individuals requesting supervision in another state must pay the required Interstate Compact application fee before the transfer process can begin. If you have been convicted and sentenced in Indiana, you may not leave Indiana to live in another state without permission from your probation officer. For information about interstate transfer eligibility requirements, review the Interstate Compact Eligibility Guide.

 

Probation Reports

The reports are based on quarterly reports submitted to the Indiana State Court Administration. (PDF Documents)

2015 Annual Report
2016 Annual Report
2017 Annual Report
2018 Annual Report
2019 Annual Report
2020 Annual Report
2021 Annual Report
2022 Annual Report
2023 Annual Report
2024 Annual Report

The following reports and statements are from research or studies done independently by this office for specific internal purposes, and are shared here for anyone interested.  (PDF Documents)

Countermeasure Fee Collections
Drug Test Comparisons Report
Department Time study
Consequences of Juvenile Adjudication Study

Internship Opportunity

The Wells County Probation Department is interested in working with college undergraduate and graduate students, especially if they are residents of Wells County.  This department works with both adult and juvenile jurisdictions, and we can provide to an ambitious student experience in the skills necessary for all most areas of an Indiana probation department.  Students of other disciplines (i.e., computer technology, business, foreign language, education, psychology, etc) will be considered if they can show how their skills may be used in the probation department environment. Work hours are negotiable, but interns may work up to 35 hours per week for 26 weeks.

Persons interested in internship opportunities may submit a cover letter with the application contained in the link below to the Chief Probation Officer at the Wells County Probation Department. This application may be emailed to the probation email linked at the top of the page.

Internship Information and Application (Fillable PDF Document)

Biographies
Stephanie L. Eddy, BA

Appointed and certified a Wells County probation officer since 2000. Recipient of the ICA 2003 Juvenile Probation Officer of the Year award and the POPAI 2024 Line Officer of the Year award.

Travis Ford

Employed as a part-time field officer by Wells County Probation since 2025.

Jessica J. Nix, BSW, MPA

Certified probation officer since 1997 and associated with Wells County probation since 2008.

Stephen N. Pastore, BSW, MPM

Appointed and certified a Wells County probation officer since 2007. Recipient of the ICADV 2010 Outstanding Service Award for Law Enforcement Officers award and the POPAI 2011 Knebble Scholarship award.

Allison C. Perry, BS

Appointed and certified a Wells County probation officer since 2017.

Valerie N. Runyon, BS, MSW

Appointed and certified a Wells County probation officer since 2020. Recipient of the POPAI 2021 Rookie Probation Officer of the Year award.

Jordyn A. Collins

Employed as a secretary by Wells County Probation since 2024.

Greg Steele

Employed as a part-time field officer by Wells County Probation since 2021.

Gregory E. Werich, BA, MPA

Certified probation officer since 1987 and appointed Wells County Chief Probation Officer in 1997.

Recognitions:

  • ICA 1995 Key Staffer Award of the Year
  • POPAI 2006 Founders Award
  • CADA 2012 Expedient Award
  • SHSU - George J. Beto Criminal Justice Center and NAPE 2021 Sam Houston State University Award
  • CADA 2021 Professional Award
  • Indiana POAB 2025 Order of Augustus
Rachel D. Yancey, BS

Appointed a Wells County probation officer since 2025 and certified since 2026. Recipient of the POPAI 2026 Rookie Probation Officer of the Year award.

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