Two Sentenced in Starke Circuit Court

Two offenders were sentenced in Starke Circuit Court on Wednesday morning.

David Risner, 54, of North Judson pleaded guilty in a plea agreement with the state to a charge of possession by a meth offender as a Class D felony. Risner purchased a product containing pseudoephedrine or ephedrine and he wasn’t aware that it was against the law for him to purchase it. He was previously convicted on a possession of precursors or chemical reagents charge in June 2011 and by law he cannot purchase that certain product with that prior conviction.

Judge Kim Hall accepted his plea agreement and sentenced him per the terms of that agreement which includes a two year sentence in the Department of Corrections. One year of that sentence was suspended to be served on probation and one year was permitted to be served on home detention through Starke County Community Corrections. He will also participate in a drug rehabilitation program as recommended by Starke County Community Corrections and/or probation. If he successfully completes that program, he may petition the court for misdemeanor treatment.

Nathan Wilson, 28, of North Judson pleaded guilty in a plea agreement with the state to a charge of operating a vehicle with a blood alcohol concentration of at least .15 and operating a vehicle while intoxicated with a prior conviction. On Dec. 20, 2013 he was driving his personal vehicle to the gas station to pick up a pack of cigarettes in North Judson when a police officer pulled his car over as Wilson was exceeding the speed limit and a taillight was inoperable on this vehicle. The officer believed that Wilson was under the influence and a Datamaster test at the Starke County Jail recorded a BAC of .29.

Judge Kim Hall accepted his plea agreement in which both charges would be merged into a charge of operating a vehicle while intoxicated with a prior conviction as a Class D felony. He was sentenced to 24 months in the Department of Corrections with 18 months suspended to be served on probation. The remainder of his sentence would be served on home detention through Starke County Community Corrections. If he successfully completes an alcohol abuse program recommended by Starke County Community Corrections and/or probation, he may petition the court for misdemeanor treatment. Wilson’s driver’s license was suspended for a year.