Starke Circuit Judge Kim Hall yesterday accepted a plea from and sentenced a Knox man who pleaded guilty to criminal confinement and domestic battery in the presence of a child to four years in prison.
The charges against Shawn Heck, 28, stem from an April 17th incident in which he was armed with a metal baseball bat and refused to let a female leave his house. Court documents indicate he also grabbed her arm. Heck was sentenced to four years in the Department of Corrections for criminal confinement and 18 months for domestic battery, with the sentences to run concurrently. Heck was on home detention for a prior methamphetamine charge when the incident occurred and is now in prison for violating the terms of that arrangement. Judge Hall noted this is a longer sentence that Heck has received in the past for drug-related offenses. He also noted for the record the victim is OK with the punishment.
Judge Hall also accepted an amended plea agreement from a Knox man to a charge of operating a vehicle while intoxicated with a prior conviction. The charge against Gary Peterson, 63, stems from a July 14, 2014 arrest in Knox. Heck was sentenced to two years in prison with a year suspended to be served on probation and a year to be served on home detention with day reporting. He must also serve 10 actual days in the Starke County Jail. The judge admonished Peterson he needs to quit drinking and is to comply with all court-ordered treatment programs.
