Warrants have been issued for two offenders who escaped electronic monitoring from Starke County Community Corrections.
On Sunday, Brenan Sanchez cut off his ankle bracelet and fled to the Mishawaka area. Community Corrections staff began to investigate his whereabouts and found that he was at a girlfriend’s house in Mishawaka.
As this investigation was going on, another offender, Dustin Spencer, cut off his ankle bracelet on Monday.
As Mishawaka police searched Sanchez’s girlfriend’s home, they learned that some person had broken a window and entered the home next door. When officers investigated, they reportedly found both Sanchez and Spencer in the basement and were taken into custody. They were both incarcerated in the St. Joseph County Jail on a preliminary charge of Criminal Trespass.
They were to appear in Starke Circuit Court this morning, but they did not appear. Judge Kim Hall approved a request for bench warrants to be issued.
Shawn Mattraw from Starke County Community Corrections stated that Brenan Sanchez had been a client since April 1 after he had been released by the Department of Corrections for participating successfully in the Community Transitional Program and Dustin Spencer had been a part of the electronic monitoring program since February 22.
Mattraw believes the swift efforts by the Starke and Pulaski County Sheriff’s Departments, Starke County Community Corrections and the Mishawaka and St. Joseph County Police Departments were instrumental in their apprehension.
