Columbus man sentenced to six years for dog attack on officers

A Columbus man has been sentenced to six years in prison after siccing his dogs on police officers serving an arrest warrant.

According to the Bartholomew County Prosecutor’s Office, James Henry was convicted last week of battery resulting in bodily injury to a public safety official. On Thursday, he was sentenced by Judge Kelly Benjamin to serve six years in the Indiana Department of Corrections. The prosecutor’s office says that a Level 5 felony sentencing range is 1 to 6 years.

Authorities say that the incident started on August 13, when Columbus police officers attempted to serve a parole warrant on Henry at his Columbus home. Officers asked Henry’s wife to have him come out but after almost an hour of giving him orders to leave the home, officers entered the home to make the arrest.

Police say that there were several dogs in the home and as they entered they heard Henry shout “get them” to the dogs. Sgt. Brandon Decker was then bitten by one of the dogs.

Police used non-lethal devices and after a struggle with Henry he was taken into custody.