Four Plea Agreements Rejected in Starke Circuit Court

Starke Circuit Court Judge Kim Hall
Starke Circuit Court Judge Kim Hall
Starke Circuit Court Judge Kim Hall rejected plea agreements in four cases yesterday.

Judge Hall rejected a plea agreement for 18-year-old Martin Noble because he didn’t pay his $100 public defender fee and he didn’t have the paperwork filed for his evaluation into community corrections in time for his hearing. His case was set for a status hearing for Friday, Feb. 7 at 9 a.m.

Michael Hoekman’s plea agreement was rejected as Judge Hall expressed concern that he was not receiving prison time for his alleged role in a residential burglary in which thousands of dollars worth of electronics were stolen from James Haley. The state and the defense told the judge that, in his favor, Hoekman was helpful in retrieving the stolen items and cooperated with police. His plea agreement would have called for six years in the Department of Corrections with three years suspended to be served on probation and three years on home detention. His case was set for trial on Wednesday, March 5 at 9 a.m.

An alleged burglar at the Hamlet Feed Mill and Hamlet Golf Course will be back in Starke Circuit Court on Friday, Feb. 7 as Judge Hall rejected an agreement in which 21-year-old Danny Clark would serve two years each on charges of Burglary and Receiving Stolen Property. Judge Hall stated that restitution needs to be addressed as well as the length of prison sentence.

Jeremy Hansen will return before Judge Hall to determine the status of a plea agreement including the charges of Resisting Law Enforcement and Operating a Vehicle While Intoxicated with a Prior Conviction. According to court documents read in open court, Hansen has had parole violations and was previously convicted of serious crimes and the sentence in this case was deemed not satisfactory by Judge Hall. He has been ordered to return to court on Friday, Feb. 7 at 9 a.m.