Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
A convicted child molester will serve 36 years in prison on additional molesting charges.
Andrew Steven Finch, 37, Warsaw, was charged with child molesting, a level 1 felony; and a repeat sexual offender enhancement. Three additional child molesting charges were all dismissed as part of a plea agreement.
Finch was sentenced in Kosciusko Superior Court I on Thursday.
For child molesting, Finch received a 40-year sentence at the Indiana Department of Correction, with 30 years executed and 10 years suspended on probation. He also received an additional 10 years for the repeat sexual offender enhancement, which was also all suspended on probation.
This case will be served consecutively to Finch's prior child molesting case from January 2017. Since his probation in that case was revoked due to the new case, Finch was ordered to serve six years at DOC.
In total, with both cases, Finch received a 56-year DOC sentence, with 36 years executed and 20 years suspended on probation.
As part of his probation, Finch is not allowed to be alone with any child under the age of 18. He must also continue registering as a sex offender. A no-contact order between Finch, the child and the child's family also remains in effect.
Finch has 227 days of jail time credit and is a credit restricted felon.
At sentencing, the child's mother provided a victim impact statement.
"I don't understand why you are the monster you are," said the mother. "You took advantage of all of us. You used us and we trusted you. I don't wish death upon you, but I want what happened to my child to happen to you every day. You did this to other children and then you did it to mine."
Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Joseph Sobek recalled an interview the child did at Safe Harbor Child Advocacy Center.
"The child could barely speak," said Sobek. "They would have been retraumatized if they had to go through a trial. Leniency is done. There are people who need removed from society and Andrew Finch is one of them."
Defense attorney John Barrett said Finch has accepted responsibility for his actions, noting Finch's substance abuse and sexual offender history.
"There are no winners in this case," said Barrett. "I hope Andrew gets the help he needs."
Finch apologized in court for his actions and agreed to needing help.
"This is one of the worst cases I've seen," said Kosciusko Superior Court One Judge Karin McGrath. "I wish it was more (time) and I can only hope the child and the family can heal and rebuild."
On Aug. 25, 2022, a Milford Police officer responded to a child molestation report. The officer spoke with a woman who said a child was molested twice by Finch.
According to court documents, the woman said Finch babysat her children and was around her home since June 2022 to hang out. The woman said she was unaware Finch was a registered sex offender.
During an interview at Safe Harbor Child Advocacy Center, the child described what occurred and said the molestations occurred multiple times.
Finch was previously convicted of child molesting in Kosciusko County after charges were filed in January 2017. He was on parole at the time of the August 2022 incident. In April 2018, Finch was sentenced on two counts of child molesting and one count of possession of child pornography. He received a 12-year prison sentence, with over one year of jail time credit. Finch was later placed on probation in July 2020
