Three initial hearings were heard in the Starke Circuit Court this week for men accused of a variety of crimes, including Dealing in Cocaine, Domestic Battery, and various Possession Charges.
Matthew Norem pleaded not guilty to the charges filed against him, including Dealing in Cocaine or a Narcotic as a Class A felony and Trafficking with an Inmate as a Class C felony. Norem is accused of knowingly possessing at least three grams of heroin in his underwear at the Starke County Jail when he was arrested in December.
Christopher Fields also pleaded not guilty to charges, including two counts of Possession of a Controlled Substance as Class D felonies, and Resisting Law Enforcement, Possession of Marijuana, and Possession of Paraphernalia as Class A misdemeanors. Fields is accused of possessing Oxycodone, Fentanyl, and marijuana in November, as well as a hypodermic needle.
A third man also pleaded not guilty to charges in Starke Circuit Court. Brent Komon is accused of using a .22 caliber rifle to threaten a woman who had threatened to leave him, and the criminal information alleges that he slammed the victim against a well and broke her cell phone to prevent her from calling police. He pleaded not guilty to charges of Intimidation as a Class C felony, and Domestic Battery and Interference with Reporting a Crime as Class A misdemeanors.
Each of the men received various court dates, but all will return on Jan. 16 at 8 a.m. for their first pre-trial conferences.
