A 12-member jury has returned with a verdict a trial in Starke Circuit Court.
The jury members took 50 minutes to find Brad Allen guilty on charges of dealing in methamphetamine as a Class B felony and possession of precursors or chemical reagents as a Class D felony.
A Starke County man was sentenced to ten years in the Indiana Department of Corrections in a hearing held in Starke Circuit Court Tuesday morning.
Jacob Nemeth, 23, pleaded guilty in a plea agreement with the state to a charge of incest as a Class C felony in a hearing on May 20 and he also admitted to a probation violation.
A jury trial will be held in Starke Circuit Court today.
Brad Allen is facing charges of dealing in methamphetamine, a Class B felony, and possession of precursors and/or chemical reagents, a Class D felony. The alleged incident occurred on June 3, 2013.
A 12-member jury will be seated this morning and opening statements and witness testimony will occur following the seating of the jury.
Starke County Prosecutor Nicholas Bourff has filed three felony charges against the Knox man accused of stealing two cars in Starke County and a third in Hebron before shooting himself when police in Lake County used stop sticks to end a high-speed chase Friday afternoon. Continue reading
A defendant was sentenced in Starke Circuit Court Tuesday morning.
Kaila Rose, 20 of Plymouth, pleaded guilty in a plea agreement with the State to an amended charge of possession of methamphetamine as a Class D felony and possession of precursors or chemical reagents as a Class D felony.
An amended date has been set for a trial for James Campbell. A full week will be dedicated for the jury trial beginning Monday, Sept. 22 at 9 a.m. in Starke Circuit Court.
Campbell is charged with arson, a Class A felony, to which he has pleaded not guilty. He is accused of intentionally setting a fire at C&C Salvage at the corner of Toto Road and U.S. 35 south of Knox on Thursday, March 20. Eight fire departments were called to the business to put out the extensive fire.
Several sentencing hearings were held in Starke Circuit Court this week where some heavy sentences were handed down to drug offenders.
Joseph Lippner pleaded guilty in a plea agreement with the state to a charge of Dealing in a Controlled Substance (heroin) as a Class B felony. Judge Kim Hall accepted the plea agreement and sentenced Lippner to ten years in the Indiana Department of Corrections with no part of the sentence suspended. As part of the plea agreement, he waived his right to appeal his sentence. He will be able to participate a therapeutic community while incarcerated.
A North Judson resident was sentenced to four years in the Indiana Department of Corrections in a hearing in Starke Circuit Court Wednesday morning.
Cody Barnette, 20, previously pleaded guilty to charges of escape as a Class C Felony and misdemeanor charges of trespass and criminal mischief.
Mark Carrington was sentenced in Starke Circuit Court on Thursday.
Carrington pleaded guilty in a plea agreement with the State to charges of forgery as a Class C felony and theft as a Class D felony. Judge Kim Hall accepted the terms of that agreement and sentenced Carrington to four years in the Department of Corrections with no part of the sentence suspended on the charge of forgery. On the theft charge, Carrington was sentenced to 24 months in the Department of Corrections with no part of the sentence suspended.
Two defendants were sentenced in Starke Circuit Court on Thursday.
Nathan Vermilyer pleaded guilty in a plea agreement with the State to a charge of Dealing in Methamphetamine as a Class B felony. Judge Kim Hall accepted the plea agreement and sentenced Vermilyer to the terms of that agreement to six years in the Indiana Department of Corrections with three years suspended to be served on home detention through the Starke County Community Corrections program. The other three years will be served on probation.
Ernest Dale Wireman, 40, was sentenced in Starke Circuit Court this week.
He had three cases before Judge Kim Hall. Wireman pleaded guilty to a charge of Domestic Battery as a Class D Felony. He was sentenced to 18 months in the Department of Corrections with no part of the sentence suspended. He also pleaded guilty to a charge of Possession of a Controlled Substance as a Class D felony. Wireman was sentenced to 18 months in the Department of Corrections with no part of the sentence suspended.
Two women were sentenced in Starke Circuit Court on Wednesday.
Natasha Long pleaded guilty in a plea agreement with the State to a charge of Theft as a Class D felony. She was sentenced to 24 months in the Department of Corrections with all of that time suspended to be served on probation. She also pleaded guilty to a charge of Possession of Marijuana as a Class A misdemeanor. Long was sentenced per the terms of the agreement which called for 12 months in the Starke County Jail. That sentence was suspended to be served on probation. The sentences will run concurrently for a total of 24 months on probation.
A Starke County jury has found Donald Frazier guilty on two counts in a one-day trial.
The six-member jury took less than 15 minutes Wednesday to find Frazier guilty on charges of Operating a Vehicle While Intoxicated and Possession of Paraphernalia. He pleaded guilty to a charge of Operating a Vehicle While Intoxicated with a Prior Conviction and that merged with the other OVWI charge which made it a Class D felony.
A jury trial is set for today in Starke Circuit Court.
Donald Frazier will be on trial on charges of Operating a Vehicle While Intoxicated (OVWI) and Possession of Paraphernalia. The OVWI charge is broken up as two counts: OVWI and OVWI with a prior conviction in the past five years to elevate it to a Class D felony.
Starke Circuit Court Judge Kim Hall accepted a plea agreement between the State and defendant Christopher McNeese in which he was sentenced in two different cases to a total of 15 years in the Department of Corrections.
McNeese pleaded guilty in a plea agreement to a charge of Burglary as a Class B Felony. Per the terms of the agreement, McNeese was sentenced to 11 years in the Department of Corrections with no part of the sentence suspended.
A plea and sentencing hearing was held in Starke Circuit Court Wednesday in the case of Michael Derby.
Derby pleaded guilty in a plea agreement with the State to a charge of Aggravated Battery as a Class B Felony. He admitted to causing injury to another person while incarcerated. The victim suffered broken facial bones and a concussion.
James Campbell pleaded not guilty to a charge of Arson as a Class A felony in an initial hearing in Starke Circuit Court Wednesday afternoon.
Campbell is accused of intentionally setting a fire on March 20 at his business known as Starke County Recycling at the corner of U.S. 35 and Toto Road south of Knox. A Bass Lake fireman was injured while battling the blaze at the business. Eight fire departments were called to the scene to contain the fire.
Starke Circuit Court Judge Kim Hall revoked a bond for a defendant during an initial hearing Wednesday afternoon.
Tiffany Witham pleaded not guilty to charges of Possession of a Syringe and Possession of a Controlled Substance as Class D felonies.
During her initial hearing, it was learned that she allegedly violated probation. She told Judge Hall that she attempted to go obtain treatment as outlined in her probation but she hadn’t found the right rehab program. She was then arrested on these new charges.
Two offenders appeared in Starke Circuit Court yesterday after it was found that they violated terms of their plea agreements and rules with Community Corrections.
David Ratcliff of San Pierre was serving a sentence on home detention and work release when he violated several rules. He violated a major financial agreement, failed drug screens and was in possession of contraband. Judge Kim Hall ordered him to serve the remainder of his 24 month sentence in the Department of Corrections. He was given credit time from July 11 to March 27 plus three days.
