Brazil man sentenced to four decades behind bars for drug charges

Thursday, March 26, 2026 at 1:47 PM

By Paul Gable

A Brazil man with an already extensive criminal background has been sentenced to 40 years in prison and has been deemed a "habitual offender" by the courts.

According to court documents, Timothy Cheatham was found guilty earlier this month by a jury of dealing in methamphetamine and two counts of possession of methamphetamine. In addition, the jury found him to be a "habitual offender." This week, Clay County Judge Matthew Sheehan sentenced Cheatham to 20 years on the dealing methamphetamine conviction with an additional 20 years for the habitual offender enhancement.

Last October, Cheatham was the subject of a Clay County Sheriff's Office investigation, which looked into meth distribution across the county.

The charges came from an investigation in October 2023 when a Clay County Sheriff's Office detective looked into methamphetamine distribution in the county.

Cheatham is no stranger to local authorities or the courts, as his criminal activities began in 1985 and include a reckless homicide conviction in 1989. In 2012, he was sent to federal prison for 15 years following a conviction on charges of distributing meth in and around Brazil. Current Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett tried the case as the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana.