Bronson Pleads Guilty To 1 Felony
July 15, 2017 at 4:03 a.m.
By Michael [email protected]
After pleading guilty to a single count of felony corrupt business influence, Bronson said Rovenstine was aware of the illegal activities that Bronson was doing in the jail.
“He wanted to make sure every one knew that Rovenstine was right in the middle of this,” said Peter Todd, Bronson’s attorney, after the hearing.
Bronson was indicted with Rovenstine and former Grace College professor Mark Soto in February 2016.
Rovenstine was sentenced in May to one year of probation on a single intimidation charge. Rovenstine had been accused of providing special privileges to Bronson, but those charges were dismissed in a plea agreement.
Soto is scheduled to face a jury trial on six felony charges on Aug. 1.
Bronson, who faced 10 felony counts, pleaded guilty to one count with the other nine being dropped.
Police allege Bronson and Soto engaged in racketeering including intimidating people in order to raise money for Bronson’s company, Young Dragon Enterprises. In addition to the martial arts gym, Bronson was working on a book deal and a movie deal about his life.
Under the plea agreement, Bronson will serve seven years at Elkhart Community Corrections, with credit for time served.
Special Judge Stephen Bowers set sentencing for 2:30 p.m. Sept. 29.
As part of the agreement, Bronson must testify against Soto, if Soto’s case goes trial.
Deputy Prosecutor Matthew Sarber estimated the time Bronson has served is 2-1/2 years.
“The story is continuing to come out and reach closure step by step. But as I have said for months, if it’s not over in a year, the good people of Kosciusko County need to know the full story,” said Special Prosecutor Nelson Chipman in a press conference after the hearing.
Most of the case is contained in the grand jury documents that were the basis for the three cases. Those documents remain sealed.
Chipman says he asked Kosciusko Circuit Court Judge Michael Reed to make the documents public. He believes Reed would be the judge who could unseal the case.
When asked why he dropped nine charges to get one, Chipman partially blamed the press. He said the “local Warsaw media” was part of the reason he dropped Bronson’s seven intimidation charges.
“We’ve already seen them demonize victims in this case,” he said. He added he didn’t want victims to go through that again or the stress of testifying at trial.
Chipman said he remains convinced Bronson colluded with Rovenstine. Despite dropping all the charges connecting the two.
Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Department Public Information Officer Sgt. Chad Hill declined to comment on Chipman’s and Bronson’s remarks.
The supposed connection between Rovenstine and Bronson comes from Bronson placing the former sheriff in his will.
Chipman confirmed that Rovenstine was one of many beneficiaries who were listed in the will.
“He was the county sheriff, no one else in that will was the sheriff,” Chipman said when asked why Rovenstine’s listing was different.
Chipman said Rovenstine believed Bronson’s book and movie deal would come through and he would get paid eventually.
Chipman said ?Rovenstine’s guilty plea was proof Rovenstine knew he had done wrong.
Rovenstine’s guilty plea was based on a phone call with Warsaw Police detective Paul Heaton.
Heaton called Rovenstine about the special privileges that Bronson allegedly received in jail. During the call, Rovenstine said, “I have investigators, too.”
Chipman argues that the intimidation was more than just words on the phone, but an “unlawful investigation” that came later.
Rovenstine was never charged with anything related to a “unlawful investigation,” other than the threat on the phone.
Chipman said the reason he didn’t charge something related to the investigation was because it was “a grand jury case.”
Kosciusko County Sheriff’s deputies began looking in to alleged misconduct by Heaton. When the investigation into Heaton began is uncertain. Some KCSD detectives say the questions about Heaton came before the phone call in?August.
Warsaw officials and Chipman believe the whole thing was a way to get back at Heaton for asking questions.
“No one at KCSD can tell me what me what crime Heaton was accused of,” Chipman said.
During Rovenstine’s sentencing hearing, former detective J.D. Ayers testified Rovenstine never directed or ordered him to investigate Heaton, and he was only acting on tips he received.
After pleading guilty to a single count of felony corrupt business influence, Bronson said Rovenstine was aware of the illegal activities that Bronson was doing in the jail.
“He wanted to make sure every one knew that Rovenstine was right in the middle of this,” said Peter Todd, Bronson’s attorney, after the hearing.
Bronson was indicted with Rovenstine and former Grace College professor Mark Soto in February 2016.
Rovenstine was sentenced in May to one year of probation on a single intimidation charge. Rovenstine had been accused of providing special privileges to Bronson, but those charges were dismissed in a plea agreement.
Soto is scheduled to face a jury trial on six felony charges on Aug. 1.
Bronson, who faced 10 felony counts, pleaded guilty to one count with the other nine being dropped.
Police allege Bronson and Soto engaged in racketeering including intimidating people in order to raise money for Bronson’s company, Young Dragon Enterprises. In addition to the martial arts gym, Bronson was working on a book deal and a movie deal about his life.
Under the plea agreement, Bronson will serve seven years at Elkhart Community Corrections, with credit for time served.
Special Judge Stephen Bowers set sentencing for 2:30 p.m. Sept. 29.
As part of the agreement, Bronson must testify against Soto, if Soto’s case goes trial.
Deputy Prosecutor Matthew Sarber estimated the time Bronson has served is 2-1/2 years.
“The story is continuing to come out and reach closure step by step. But as I have said for months, if it’s not over in a year, the good people of Kosciusko County need to know the full story,” said Special Prosecutor Nelson Chipman in a press conference after the hearing.
Most of the case is contained in the grand jury documents that were the basis for the three cases. Those documents remain sealed.
Chipman says he asked Kosciusko Circuit Court Judge Michael Reed to make the documents public. He believes Reed would be the judge who could unseal the case.
When asked why he dropped nine charges to get one, Chipman partially blamed the press. He said the “local Warsaw media” was part of the reason he dropped Bronson’s seven intimidation charges.
“We’ve already seen them demonize victims in this case,” he said. He added he didn’t want victims to go through that again or the stress of testifying at trial.
Chipman said he remains convinced Bronson colluded with Rovenstine. Despite dropping all the charges connecting the two.
Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Department Public Information Officer Sgt. Chad Hill declined to comment on Chipman’s and Bronson’s remarks.
The supposed connection between Rovenstine and Bronson comes from Bronson placing the former sheriff in his will.
Chipman confirmed that Rovenstine was one of many beneficiaries who were listed in the will.
“He was the county sheriff, no one else in that will was the sheriff,” Chipman said when asked why Rovenstine’s listing was different.
Chipman said Rovenstine believed Bronson’s book and movie deal would come through and he would get paid eventually.
Chipman said ?Rovenstine’s guilty plea was proof Rovenstine knew he had done wrong.
Rovenstine’s guilty plea was based on a phone call with Warsaw Police detective Paul Heaton.
Heaton called Rovenstine about the special privileges that Bronson allegedly received in jail. During the call, Rovenstine said, “I have investigators, too.”
Chipman argues that the intimidation was more than just words on the phone, but an “unlawful investigation” that came later.
Rovenstine was never charged with anything related to a “unlawful investigation,” other than the threat on the phone.
Chipman said the reason he didn’t charge something related to the investigation was because it was “a grand jury case.”
Kosciusko County Sheriff’s deputies began looking in to alleged misconduct by Heaton. When the investigation into Heaton began is uncertain. Some KCSD detectives say the questions about Heaton came before the phone call in?August.
Warsaw officials and Chipman believe the whole thing was a way to get back at Heaton for asking questions.
“No one at KCSD can tell me what me what crime Heaton was accused of,” Chipman said.
During Rovenstine’s sentencing hearing, former detective J.D. Ayers testified Rovenstine never directed or ordered him to investigate Heaton, and he was only acting on tips he received.
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