Pierceton Man Gets 12 Years In Prison For Robbery
February 28, 2020 at 12:41 a.m.
By Amanda [email protected]
Matthew L. Prater, 42, of 3104 E. Wooster Road, lot 24, Pierceton, appeared in front of Kosciusko Superior Court I Judge David Cates and was sentenced to 12 years in the Indiana Department of Corrections for a Level 3 felony robbery conviction. Prater had 235 days of jail time credit.
Prater originally was charged with robbery resulting in bodily injury, a Level 3 felony; theft, a Level 6 felony; resisting law enforcement, a Level 6 felony; intimidation, a Level 6 felony; and battery causing moderate bodily injury, a Level 6 felony. The robbery conviction got downgraded and the other counts were dismissed as part of a plea agreement.
Kosciusko County Chief Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Brad Voelz said Thursday that when the case was first filed, prosecutors were told by the victim that Prater said, “Get out of the car or I’m gonna shoot you.” However, the investigation revealed Prater never had a gun. Voelz also said that after investigators reviewed security camera footage, there was reasonable doubt that an injury had occurred to the victim as was originally thought.
Voelz added that the investigation also revealed that Prater and his co-defendant in the case, Jessica Davis, had been on a four-day drug binge and had not slept during that time.
According to the probable cause affidavit, on June 28 Warsaw police responded to a robbery in the Owen’s Supermarket parking lot where a woman told police she was sitting in her vehicle and Prater and Davis came up to her and demanded her out of the car. The victim told police Prater grabbed her by the ears and removed her from the vehicle. That’s when Davis got in the passenger seat and Prater got in the driver’s seat and sped away, allegedly running over the victim’s foot in the process.
Officers later located the 1995 gold Buick in the area of Kings Highway and 15th Street in Winona Lake and attempted to pull the vehicle over. Prater did not stop for police until later, when he and Davis jumped from the vehicle and fled in different directions.
In court Thursday, Prater apologized to the court for wasting the court’s time on his stupidity and said he’s remorseful for scaring the victim.
Cates said it’s clear that Prater wasn’t thinking clearly and that he has a substantial criminal history. Cates did agree to refer Prater to the Recovery While Incarcerated program while at DOC, which, upon successful completion, could mean a sentence modification.
Davis was sentenced Jan. 23 in Superior Court I and was convicted of aiding auto theft, a Level 6 felony, to which she was sentenced to 2-1/2 years in the Kosciusko County Jail, with 207 days of jail time credit. Davis also was convicted of resisting law enforcement, a Class A misdemeanor, and was sentenced to one year in KCJ to be served concurrently with the felony sentence.
Restitution in the amount of $175 was ordered to be paid by Prater and Davis.
Matthew L. Prater, 42, of 3104 E. Wooster Road, lot 24, Pierceton, appeared in front of Kosciusko Superior Court I Judge David Cates and was sentenced to 12 years in the Indiana Department of Corrections for a Level 3 felony robbery conviction. Prater had 235 days of jail time credit.
Prater originally was charged with robbery resulting in bodily injury, a Level 3 felony; theft, a Level 6 felony; resisting law enforcement, a Level 6 felony; intimidation, a Level 6 felony; and battery causing moderate bodily injury, a Level 6 felony. The robbery conviction got downgraded and the other counts were dismissed as part of a plea agreement.
Kosciusko County Chief Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Brad Voelz said Thursday that when the case was first filed, prosecutors were told by the victim that Prater said, “Get out of the car or I’m gonna shoot you.” However, the investigation revealed Prater never had a gun. Voelz also said that after investigators reviewed security camera footage, there was reasonable doubt that an injury had occurred to the victim as was originally thought.
Voelz added that the investigation also revealed that Prater and his co-defendant in the case, Jessica Davis, had been on a four-day drug binge and had not slept during that time.
According to the probable cause affidavit, on June 28 Warsaw police responded to a robbery in the Owen’s Supermarket parking lot where a woman told police she was sitting in her vehicle and Prater and Davis came up to her and demanded her out of the car. The victim told police Prater grabbed her by the ears and removed her from the vehicle. That’s when Davis got in the passenger seat and Prater got in the driver’s seat and sped away, allegedly running over the victim’s foot in the process.
Officers later located the 1995 gold Buick in the area of Kings Highway and 15th Street in Winona Lake and attempted to pull the vehicle over. Prater did not stop for police until later, when he and Davis jumped from the vehicle and fled in different directions.
In court Thursday, Prater apologized to the court for wasting the court’s time on his stupidity and said he’s remorseful for scaring the victim.
Cates said it’s clear that Prater wasn’t thinking clearly and that he has a substantial criminal history. Cates did agree to refer Prater to the Recovery While Incarcerated program while at DOC, which, upon successful completion, could mean a sentence modification.
Davis was sentenced Jan. 23 in Superior Court I and was convicted of aiding auto theft, a Level 6 felony, to which she was sentenced to 2-1/2 years in the Kosciusko County Jail, with 207 days of jail time credit. Davis also was convicted of resisting law enforcement, a Class A misdemeanor, and was sentenced to one year in KCJ to be served concurrently with the felony sentence.
Restitution in the amount of $175 was ordered to be paid by Prater and Davis.
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