Deeter Sentenced On Burglary Charges

January 10, 2020 at 3:45 a.m.

By Amanda [email protected]

A man who burglarized his own father’s residence was sentenced to eight years in the Indiana Department of Corrections Thursday.

Joseph A. Deeter, 21, of 966 W. CR 400N, Warsaw, appeared in front of Kosciusko Superior Court I Judge David Cates and was sentenced to seven years in IDOC for burglary, a Level 4 felony, and one year in IDOC for auto theft, a Level 6 felony. Cates also ordered him to continue to pay back, along with his codefendants, restitution to the victim. Deeter will be referred to the Recovery While Incarcerated program, which, upon successful completion, will allow him to request a sentence modification.

David Kolbe, Deeter’s attorney, said this case has been one of his more difficult cases to work for several reasons, including that the victim in the case is his client’s father, and that Kolbe knows Deeter’s father and grandfather quite well.

Kolbe said that Deeter has appeared before Cates for criminal matters since Deeter was a juvenile, and that Deeter’s history is somewhat unknown. Deeter was adopted by his parents when he was 4 months old out of a Russian orphanage. Kolbe said there is no knowledge of Deeter’s mother and what that could mean to Deeter’s behavior. Kolbe then said that his client’s problem and all the problems surrounding his client revolve around Deeter’s addiction to methamphetamine.

“The drug or alcohol is 10% of the problem, 90% is stinkin’ thinkin’,” Kolbe said.

“I’ve been seeing you since I was a juvenile,” Deeter told Cates. “I never really wanted to change up until what I did to my family.”

Deeter then broke down crying and turned to apologize to his parents in attendance. Kolbe said this is the first time he has seen Deeter behave that way and he believes Deeter was having a breakdown.

“Your parents care about you, and you have been in front of me a number of times,” Cates said. “I think this is the first time you’ve ever been honest with me.”

According to the probable cause affidavit, Deeter burglarized his father’s home  along with friends Caleb Jenkins and Christopher Hodges, and took $45,000 from a safe, along with jewelry and guns valued at more than $50,000.

Hodges then traded some of the stolen guns for a stolen vehicle from Cassandra Szymanski.

Szymanski received an 18-month suspended sentence for a Level 6 felony theft conviction.

Hodges pleaded guilty to burglary, a Level 4 felony; theft, a Level 5 felony; and auto theft, a Level 6 felony, as part of a drug court participation agreement.

Jenkins was sentenced to two years and six months in prison for a Level 6 felony theft charge.

A man who burglarized his own father’s residence was sentenced to eight years in the Indiana Department of Corrections Thursday.

Joseph A. Deeter, 21, of 966 W. CR 400N, Warsaw, appeared in front of Kosciusko Superior Court I Judge David Cates and was sentenced to seven years in IDOC for burglary, a Level 4 felony, and one year in IDOC for auto theft, a Level 6 felony. Cates also ordered him to continue to pay back, along with his codefendants, restitution to the victim. Deeter will be referred to the Recovery While Incarcerated program, which, upon successful completion, will allow him to request a sentence modification.

David Kolbe, Deeter’s attorney, said this case has been one of his more difficult cases to work for several reasons, including that the victim in the case is his client’s father, and that Kolbe knows Deeter’s father and grandfather quite well.

Kolbe said that Deeter has appeared before Cates for criminal matters since Deeter was a juvenile, and that Deeter’s history is somewhat unknown. Deeter was adopted by his parents when he was 4 months old out of a Russian orphanage. Kolbe said there is no knowledge of Deeter’s mother and what that could mean to Deeter’s behavior. Kolbe then said that his client’s problem and all the problems surrounding his client revolve around Deeter’s addiction to methamphetamine.

“The drug or alcohol is 10% of the problem, 90% is stinkin’ thinkin’,” Kolbe said.

“I’ve been seeing you since I was a juvenile,” Deeter told Cates. “I never really wanted to change up until what I did to my family.”

Deeter then broke down crying and turned to apologize to his parents in attendance. Kolbe said this is the first time he has seen Deeter behave that way and he believes Deeter was having a breakdown.

“Your parents care about you, and you have been in front of me a number of times,” Cates said. “I think this is the first time you’ve ever been honest with me.”

According to the probable cause affidavit, Deeter burglarized his father’s home  along with friends Caleb Jenkins and Christopher Hodges, and took $45,000 from a safe, along with jewelry and guns valued at more than $50,000.

Hodges then traded some of the stolen guns for a stolen vehicle from Cassandra Szymanski.

Szymanski received an 18-month suspended sentence for a Level 6 felony theft conviction.

Hodges pleaded guilty to burglary, a Level 4 felony; theft, a Level 5 felony; and auto theft, a Level 6 felony, as part of a drug court participation agreement.

Jenkins was sentenced to two years and six months in prison for a Level 6 felony theft charge.

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