Sentencings Handed Down in Starke Circuit Court

Vernon Chessor appeared for his sentencing hearing in the Starke Circuit Court on Friday, where he faced charges of Possession of Methamphetamine as Class D felonies as well as a probation violation charge in a separate case. A charge of Possession of a Syringe was dismissed.

Judge Kim Hall sentenced Chessor to 18 months in the Department of Corrections with no time suspended for the charge of Possession of Methamphetamine, and two years in the Department of Corrections with none suspended for the probation violation. The sentences will run consecutively for a total of two and a half years in the DOC. The court also recommended that he be placed into the CLIFF program.

Austin Bailey was also sentenced Friday to three years and nine months in the Department of Corrections. He will serve three years for a Class D felony charge of Theft, and nine months for violating his probation. He will also serve six months in the Starke County Jail.

Father and Son Arrested on Drug Charges

Austin Bailey
Kenneth Bailey

Officers from the Knox City Police Department arrested a father and son on drug charges.

Officers were called to Advanced Auto Parts in reference to an intoxicated male. The caller reported that the suspect was trying to sell narcotics to the store employees and to the anonymous caller. Police arrived on scene and observed the suspect. He reportedly had come out of the store with a bag of items and put them in a car that was occupied by another passenger. Police questioned the suspect and reportedly found that Austin Bailey was intoxicated and that he had some items from the store in his pocket. More items from the store were located in the vehicle. Some of the items were paid for and others were reported stolen. The passenger in the car, Kenneth Bailey, Jr., was questioned and when officers patted him down for safety reasons, they found medication allegedly not prescribed to Bailey.

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