Six Arrested in Cock Fighting Ring are Illegal Immigrants

Posted on Author WKVI

Six prisoners in the Starke County jail who were arrested for their involvement in a cock fighting ring in Starke County are illegal immigrants are being held for immigration officials.  The six, along with five others, have been charged with Animal Fighting Contest, a Class D Felony. Four of those prisoners have bonded out of jail. Bonds were set at $10-15,000 surety in Starke Circuit Court Monday afternoon. For those facing similar charges, get legal representation by The Echavarria Law Firm – South Texas Legal Group.

Starke County Prosecutor, Nicholas Bourff, said the Animal Fighting Contest charge was bumped up to a Felony charge because those eleven individuals brought in the birds to fight. More charges could be filed against those involved if the Prosecutor and the Sheriff’s Department can find that the same individuals were involved in a similar cock fighting incident in 2006 where 50 people were arrested. Prosecutor Bourff said that could be a challenge as many of these individuals change the spelling of their names and use many aliases.

Bourff said he hopes that he can get money through a citation or fine from those arrested to help pay the Starke County Humane Society for euthanization costs and the Starke County Sheriff’s Department for overtime pay. Bourff said that the Humane Society is requesting that a $75.00 fine be attached to every citation which numbers 65. Starke County Sheriff Oscar Cowen is to give Bourff a list of all of the Department’s expenditures for reimbursement.

Initial hearings for the eleven defendants charged with felonies will be held Wednesday at 1:30 p.m. CT in Starke Circuit Court.

Starke Circuit Court Judge Sentences Two in Proceedings Friday

Posted on Author WKVI

Starke Circuit Court Judge Kim Hall sentenced two in court Friday morning.

Amber Bottorff

Judge Hall accepted a plea agreement submitted for Amber Bottorff where she plead guilty to a charge of Maintaining a Common Nuisance, a Class D Felony. As part of the agreement, a charge of Dealing in Methamphetamine, a Class B Felony was dropped. As part of her sentence, she will serve 18 months on home detention.

On December 31st, 2010, North Judson Police were requested to assist the Starke County Community Corrections team while they were conducting a home inspection. After checking on a detainee in the 5900 block of U-road, officers made a discovery of an active Methamphetamine Lab. North Judson Officer, Mat Anderson, arrested Amber Rae Bottorff, 21, of North Judson for Manufacturing of Methamphetamine and Maintaining a Common Nuisance.

Erica Bailey

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Special Prosecutor Named in Brooke-Hitchens Joined Trial

Posted on Author WKVI

A special Prosecutor has been named for the joined trial of Kimberly Hitchens and John Brooke in Starke Circuit Court. Howard County Deputy Prosecuting Attorney, Michael Krebes, has been appointed to represent the State of Indiana. The request for a special Prosecutor was made by Starke County Prosecutor Nicholas Bourff as Bourff had previous consultations regarding representation of the defendants.

The trial scheduled for this February has been postponed allowing the Special Prosecutor time to prepare for  trial.

Starke County Prosecutor Faces Unique Situation

Posted on Author WKVI
Nicholas Bourff

New Starke County Prosecutor Nicholas Bourff is facing a ticklish situation as he is getting his feet on the ground in the office. His Chief Deputy, Todd Wallsmith, cannot appear before Judge Kim Hall in Starke Circuit Court. That is because Judge Hall is Wallsmith’s uncle. So, how does the new Prosecutor plan to work around this obstacle?

“There are some issues there,” said Bourff. “It’s going to take some work and some creativity on my part to make that work, but there are a lot of cases that get handled in the City Court here in Knox and those are cases that are dealt with County-wide. Todd can handle any case that is dealt with there.”

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A Recap of the Top 10 Stories of 2010

Posted on Author WKVI

Story #10

Tony Kerby Memorial at the Yellow River

Tony Kerby lost his life in the Yellow River attempting to save his younger brother’s life. The good looking boy went in the treacherous waters to save his 8-year-old brother Dominick when the youngster slipped off a rock. Dominick was saved when a person in the park pulled him to safety, but Tony could not swim to the banks.

Community members were so saddened by the death that a cross was put at the site to honor his efforts and his life. The memorial was created by Shelby Clemons of North Judson, his wife, Danielle, and Misty Baldridge of Knox.

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Knox Man Arrested on Charges of Rape, Sexual Battery

Posted on Author WKVI
Virgil Noble

Virgil Noble of Knox was arrested at his home on Tuesday, December 28th. He was arrested on a warrant issued by the Starke Circuit Court on two counts of Rape, a Class B Felony and two counts of Sexual Battery, a Class D Felony. He is currently out of the Starke County Jail on bond.

Noble’s initial hearing in Starke Circuit Court is set for January 7th, 2011.

Gerald Broude, Jr. Sentenced to 50 years

Posted on Author WKVI
Gerald Broude
Gerald Broude

Gerald L. Broude, Jr. was sentenced in Starke Circuit Court Tuesday morning. Judge Kim Hall sentenced Broude, Jr. to 50 years in the Indiana Department of Corrections. He was given 50 years on each of the three Class A Felony counts of Child Molestation, and eight years on one count of Child Molestation, a Class C Felony. The sentences will run concurrently for a total of 50 years.

The mother of the victim gave a victim impact statement this morning and Broude, Jr. maintained his innocence in his statement to the Court. Judge Hall found his actions to have a severe impact on the victim and the family and classified him as a sexually violent predator.

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Sentencing Hearing for Gerald Broude Today

Posted on Author WKVI
Gerald Broude
Gerald Broude

Gerald Broude will be sentenced today in Starke Circuit Court. On December 1st, a jury of seven men and five women deliberated for 30 minutes, finding Gerald Broude guilty on four counts of child molestation. The alleged acts occurred in 2008.

After Broude’s verdict came in, Broude was ordered to be held without bond until today’s sentencing hearing.

The 2010 Henry F. Schricker Award Winner is Marvin McLaughlin

Posted on Author WKVI
Marvin McLaughlin takes a moment to chat with Starke County Commissioner Jennifer Davis

The Starke County Chamber of Commerce announces that this year’s Henry F. Schricker “Service before Self” Award winner is Marvin D. McLaughlin. McLaughlin is well-known to all citizens in Starke County.

Marvin McLaughlin is known to most of us in the County as the “Honorable Judge Marvin McLaughlin” for his many years of service on the Starke County Circuit Court bench.

When Marvin McLaughlin was sworn in as judge, then-retired Governor Schricker said a few words. McLaughlin said this about Henry Schricker.

“Back in the 1950s when he ran for Congress, I worked as a volunteer on his campaign at the Statehouse,” said McLaughlin. “He was a very interesting person and he was very interested in you as an individual and he was a very appreciative person.”

He is a winner of the Sagamore of the Wabash, having been presented the award at his retirement recognition event from the bench in 1992.

Among his proud achievements is having been a 4-H leader.

“For 15 years I was a 4-H leader,” said McLaughlin. “When we first came to the County, that’s when Purdue had changed, saying that the agriculture teachers could no longer be 4-H leaders. In North Judson, we didn’t have a 4-H club. The kids had to go somewhere else. I started the club from scratch.”

Congratulations to Marvin McLaughlin of North Judson who is this year’s Henry F. Schricker Award winner for 2010. He will be feted at a banquet in January at the Knox Community Center.

Starke County Jury Finds Loftus, Jr. Guilty on Four out of Five Counts

Posted on Author WKVI
John Loftus, Jr.

A jury found John Loftus, Jr. Guilty on four out of five charges against him in a trial this week in Starke Circuit Court. The jury deliberated nearly an hour-an-a-half. The trial lasted nearly two days.

Loftus, Jr. was found Guilty on the following charges: Domestic Battery with a Child Present, a Class D Felony; Resisting Law Enforcement, a Class A Misdemeanor; Battery, a Class A Misdemeanor; and Battery, a Class B Misdemeanor. He was found Not Guilty on a charge of Attempted Robbery, a Class C Felony.

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John Loftus Jr. Trial Begins Today in Starke Circuit Court

Posted on Author WKVI
John Loftus, Jr.

A jury trial will begin in Starke Circuit Court today. John Loftus Jr. was arrested on August 19th by the Starke County Police and the Prosecutor’s office has filed five charges against him for which he has plead not guilty. He is charged with Attempted Robbery, a Class C Felony; Domestic Battery with a Child Present, a Class D Felony; Resisting Law Enforcement, a Class A Misdemeanor; Battery, a Class A Misdemeanor; and Battery, a Class B Misdemeanor.

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Gerald Broude Found Guilty on Four Counts of Child Molestation

Posted on Author WKVI
Gerald Broude
Gerald Broude

A verdict has been declared in the Gerald Broude trial in Starke Circuit Court.

A jury of seven men and five women deliberated for 30 minutes and found Broude guilty on all four counts of child molestation.  Broude’s bond was revoked and Broude was ordered to be held without bond until his sentencing hearing on Tuesday, December 28th, 2010 at 10:00 a.m. CT in Starke Circuit Court.