Starke Circuit Court Judge Kim Hall accepted several negotiated plea agreement between the state and the defense during a hearing on Tuesday afternoon.
Skyler Goble, 26, of Hamlet, pleaded guilty in a plea agreement with the state to charges of possession of methamphetamine and resisting law enforcement. Goble admitted in open court that he was the driver in a motor vehicle accident on February 15 of this year where the vehicle left the road and hit a tree. He then fled from the scene. Police were able to identify him through security cameras on a business. They found him and Goble struggled with police. He said he pulled out a pocket knife while he was resisting officers and one officer was injured from the altercation. Goble told Judge Hall that he was under the influence of methamphetamine at the time of the accident and police found the drug in his possession.
Goble was sentenced to 24 months in the Starke County Justice Center on both counts which will be served concurrently, or at the same time. Both of the sentences were stayed as he participates in a treatment program in South Bend. If he successfully completes the program, then his sentence will be served on probation. If he does not, then he will serve his sentence in the Starke County Justice Center.
Jeffery Stamper, 21, pleaded guilty to charges of resisting law enforcement and contributing to the delinquency of a minor. In a series of questions delivered by his defense attorney Richard Ballard, Stamper admitted that he gave some marijuana to a child under the age of 18 and when that child was caught with that substance in school and Stamper was identified as the supplier police attempted to take Stamper into custody on Feb. 16, 2017. Stamper said he pulled away as officers were attempting to place him into custody.
Stamper was sentenced to 12 months in the Starke County Justice Center on each count to be served consecutively, but with good time credit he has already served his time.
