Adams Sentenced To 16 Years

July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.

By Staff Report-

Denying a defense request to continue sentencing to a later date, Kosciusko Superior Court I Judge Duane Huffer handed down a 16-year prison term this morning to Charles W. Adams of Warsaw.

Adams, 32, was convicted in September of battery with a deadly weapon, a Class C felony; criminal deviant conduct, a Class B felony; and and criminal confinement, a Class D felony. Adams' wife testified during the two-day trial that Adams raped, sodomized and beat her June 2 and 3, 1998, while preventing her from leaving their Warsaw home.

The sentence reflects four years in prison for the battery charge, plus 12 years for being a habitual offender; 10 years in prison for the deviant conduct charge; and 1-1/2 years for criminal confinement. Except for the 16 years for the battery, all the terms were ordered served concurrently. Not including 215 days credit for jail time already served, Adams' earliest release date will be Oct. 20, 2007. His maximum release date would be Oct. 20, 2015.

Adams told the court that he intends to appeal the convictions and sentence. A public defender will be appointed for that matter.

Defense attorney Vern Landis had asked for a continuance and that Adams be released pending a later sentence date so that he could return to work and help support his fiance, who is having a difficult pregnancy. Landis said that Adams' incarceration is causing a financial hardship.

"I don't know what the outcome of this is going to be," Adams said before sentencing, "but right now that's [the pregnancy] all I care about."

Also, Landis said Adams continues to maintain his innocence despite the jury verdict; however, Adams admits he struck his wife, but only with his hand. Court testimony revealed that Mrs. Adams was struck with a whiskey bottle.

Adams' "prior record obviously is not good, but he has paid his debt to society for those crimes," Landis said of Adams' criminal history, including convictions for rape, criminal confinement and attempted escape.

Adams also was ordered to pay $63 restitution to the victim of his crime, a $50 domestic violence fee and $125 in court costs. [[In-content Ad]]

Denying a defense request to continue sentencing to a later date, Kosciusko Superior Court I Judge Duane Huffer handed down a 16-year prison term this morning to Charles W. Adams of Warsaw.

Adams, 32, was convicted in September of battery with a deadly weapon, a Class C felony; criminal deviant conduct, a Class B felony; and and criminal confinement, a Class D felony. Adams' wife testified during the two-day trial that Adams raped, sodomized and beat her June 2 and 3, 1998, while preventing her from leaving their Warsaw home.

The sentence reflects four years in prison for the battery charge, plus 12 years for being a habitual offender; 10 years in prison for the deviant conduct charge; and 1-1/2 years for criminal confinement. Except for the 16 years for the battery, all the terms were ordered served concurrently. Not including 215 days credit for jail time already served, Adams' earliest release date will be Oct. 20, 2007. His maximum release date would be Oct. 20, 2015.

Adams told the court that he intends to appeal the convictions and sentence. A public defender will be appointed for that matter.

Defense attorney Vern Landis had asked for a continuance and that Adams be released pending a later sentence date so that he could return to work and help support his fiance, who is having a difficult pregnancy. Landis said that Adams' incarceration is causing a financial hardship.

"I don't know what the outcome of this is going to be," Adams said before sentencing, "but right now that's [the pregnancy] all I care about."

Also, Landis said Adams continues to maintain his innocence despite the jury verdict; however, Adams admits he struck his wife, but only with his hand. Court testimony revealed that Mrs. Adams was struck with a whiskey bottle.

Adams' "prior record obviously is not good, but he has paid his debt to society for those crimes," Landis said of Adams' criminal history, including convictions for rape, criminal confinement and attempted escape.

Adams also was ordered to pay $63 restitution to the victim of his crime, a $50 domestic violence fee and $125 in court costs. [[In-content Ad]]

Have a news tip? Email [email protected] or Call/Text 360-922-3092

e-Edition


e-edition

Sign up


for our email newsletters

Weekly Top Stories

Sign up to get our top stories delivered to your inbox every Sunday

Daily Updates & Breaking News Alerts

Sign up to get our daily updates and breaking news alerts delivered to your inbox daily

Latest Stories


Public Occurrences 04.29.25
County Jail Bookings The following people were arrested and booked into the Kosciusko County Jail:

Warsaw BZA Approves Plasma Donation Center Lab On Detroit St.
One of the four petitions presented to the Warsaw Board of Zoning Appeals Monday was for a special exception for a laboratory on North Detroit Street.

Issues With Notification Mailings Appear To Be On The Rise, City Attorney Says
Issues with notifications sent out by mail reduced the number of items on the Warsaw Board of Zoning Appeal’s agenda Monday from six to four.

Hoffert Talks About Possible Effects Of SB 1 On WCS
Superintendent Dr. David Hoffert told the Warsaw School Board Monday about the financial impacts of Senate Bill 1 for Warsaw Community Schools.

Elevator Shaft Takes Shape As Construction Revs Up At Union Station Lofts
The first major sign of construction, an elevator shaft, is now visible at the site of the future apartments and commercial development on the old Gatke property on McKinley Street in Warsaw.