Three Court Sentencings Announced
Cases involved neglect, fraud and a bar fight
September 29, 2017 at 5:19 p.m.
By Michael [email protected]
A Warsaw woman was sentenced to probation on child neglect and assisting a criminal charges.
Kosciusko Superior Court I Judge David Cates sentenced Stephanie Mikel, 27, to a suspended sentenced of three years.
Police say Mikel lied and helped cover up the abuse of her 2-year-old daughter by her then-boyfriend Devan Bounds.
Bounds had spanked the child with a belt to the point of breaking her skin for wetting herself, according to court records.
Mikel originally tried to take the blame for Bounds, leading to battery charges against her. The battery charges were later dropped after an investigation revealed Bounds had hit the child.
Bounds was sentenced to four years in the Indiana Department of Corrections in March. He is slated to be released in 2019.
John Barrett, Mikel’s attorney, argued that she was afraid of Bounds and was abused by him as well.
Deputy prosecutor Katy Hampton entered into evidence over 700 jail calls Bounds had made to Mikel before he was transferred to IDOC.
During Bounds’ sentencing, Mikel held his hand and supported him.
Mikel told Cates she had learned how to be in independent and stand up for herself in classes at the Bowen Center.
“I want to apologize for what I did. I know now what I did to my girl is not OK,” she said.
Cates ordered to Mikel to have no contact with Bounds.
Miller Sentenced In Fraud Case
A Leesburg man will get work release or community corrections after pleading guilty to a scheme that bilked four people out of thousands of dollars.
Ronald Miller, 54, appeared in Kosciusko Superior Court I Thursday. Miller pleaded guilty Aug. 15 to one count of securities fraud, one count of money laundering and one count of theft.
Judge David Cates sentenced Miller to four years in the Indiana Department of Corrections. Cates will allow Miller to serve the time in community corrections or on work release if Miller qualifies. After that, Miller will serve three years on probation.
According to court records, Miller posed as a stock broker and convinced four people to give him money for an investment.
Miller kept needing more money for “transfer” fees or other things that came up, and a police investigation revealed the fraud.
Cates said part of the reason for the sentence was to allow Miller to work so he can pay restitution.
“You have an opportunity to work and pay restitution. If not, you can be in the Indiana Department of Corrections. Make the right choice,” Cates said.
Charges Dropped To Misdemeanor In Bar Fight
A man was sentenced on misdemeanor charges after a plea deal in a bar room fight case.
Jesus Menchaca, 26, Etna Green, originally faced felony charges of aggravated battery and battery resulting in a serious bodily injury.
Judge David Cates accepted a plea Thursday that allowed Menchaca to plead guilty to misdemeanor charges of disorderly conduct and battery.
The charges resulted from a fight in September 2015 where Menchaca and his brother, Christian Menchaca, attacked a man, sending him to the hospital with serious head injuries.
Menchaca was sentenced to 360 days of probation.
The victim’s fiancee testified that she hated the plea deal, and urged Cates to reject it.
“He hasn’t been the same since they beat him. I’ve had to feed him, clothe him and bathe him,” she said. “It feels like he’s getting away with it.”
Menchaca’s lawyer, Andrew Teel, argued the plea deal was made because it would be a difficult case to go to trial.
Teel argued that the fiancee is the only witness and she didn’t identify Menchaca until later.
Cates told the woman that nothing he could do would restore what was lost in the case, and he suggested she seek a civil lawyer for relief.
Christian is slated for a change of plea Oct. 19.
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A Warsaw woman was sentenced to probation on child neglect and assisting a criminal charges.
Kosciusko Superior Court I Judge David Cates sentenced Stephanie Mikel, 27, to a suspended sentenced of three years.
Police say Mikel lied and helped cover up the abuse of her 2-year-old daughter by her then-boyfriend Devan Bounds.
Bounds had spanked the child with a belt to the point of breaking her skin for wetting herself, according to court records.
Mikel originally tried to take the blame for Bounds, leading to battery charges against her. The battery charges were later dropped after an investigation revealed Bounds had hit the child.
Bounds was sentenced to four years in the Indiana Department of Corrections in March. He is slated to be released in 2019.
John Barrett, Mikel’s attorney, argued that she was afraid of Bounds and was abused by him as well.
Deputy prosecutor Katy Hampton entered into evidence over 700 jail calls Bounds had made to Mikel before he was transferred to IDOC.
During Bounds’ sentencing, Mikel held his hand and supported him.
Mikel told Cates she had learned how to be in independent and stand up for herself in classes at the Bowen Center.
“I want to apologize for what I did. I know now what I did to my girl is not OK,” she said.
Cates ordered to Mikel to have no contact with Bounds.
Miller Sentenced In Fraud Case
A Leesburg man will get work release or community corrections after pleading guilty to a scheme that bilked four people out of thousands of dollars.
Ronald Miller, 54, appeared in Kosciusko Superior Court I Thursday. Miller pleaded guilty Aug. 15 to one count of securities fraud, one count of money laundering and one count of theft.
Judge David Cates sentenced Miller to four years in the Indiana Department of Corrections. Cates will allow Miller to serve the time in community corrections or on work release if Miller qualifies. After that, Miller will serve three years on probation.
According to court records, Miller posed as a stock broker and convinced four people to give him money for an investment.
Miller kept needing more money for “transfer” fees or other things that came up, and a police investigation revealed the fraud.
Cates said part of the reason for the sentence was to allow Miller to work so he can pay restitution.
“You have an opportunity to work and pay restitution. If not, you can be in the Indiana Department of Corrections. Make the right choice,” Cates said.
Charges Dropped To Misdemeanor In Bar Fight
A man was sentenced on misdemeanor charges after a plea deal in a bar room fight case.
Jesus Menchaca, 26, Etna Green, originally faced felony charges of aggravated battery and battery resulting in a serious bodily injury.
Judge David Cates accepted a plea Thursday that allowed Menchaca to plead guilty to misdemeanor charges of disorderly conduct and battery.
The charges resulted from a fight in September 2015 where Menchaca and his brother, Christian Menchaca, attacked a man, sending him to the hospital with serious head injuries.
Menchaca was sentenced to 360 days of probation.
The victim’s fiancee testified that she hated the plea deal, and urged Cates to reject it.
“He hasn’t been the same since they beat him. I’ve had to feed him, clothe him and bathe him,” she said. “It feels like he’s getting away with it.”
Menchaca’s lawyer, Andrew Teel, argued the plea deal was made because it would be a difficult case to go to trial.
Teel argued that the fiancee is the only witness and she didn’t identify Menchaca until later.
Cates told the woman that nothing he could do would restore what was lost in the case, and he suggested she seek a civil lawyer for relief.
Christian is slated for a change of plea Oct. 19.
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