Offenders Sentenced in Starke Circuit Court

Several offenders were sentenced in Starke Circuit Court Tuesday morning.

Starke County Courthouse
Starke County Courthouse
Steven Brown pleaded guilty to charges of Possession of a Firearm without a Permit, a Class A misdemeanor and a charge of Possession of a Firearm without a Permit with a Prior Conviction, a Class C felony. Those two charges merged into one count. He also pleaded guilty to a charge of Trespass as a Class A misdemeanor. Starke Circuit Court Judge Kim Hall sentenced Brown to four years in the Department of Corrections with no part of the sentence suspended, plus one year in the Starke County Jail on the trespass charge. The sentences will run concurrently. He was permitted to serve his sentence on home detention with electronic monitoring.

Donald Dickson pleaded guilty to a charge of Escape as a Class D felony and Criminal Mischief as a Class A misdemeanor and also admitted to a probation violation. His probation was terminated and he was ordered to serve the remainder of the sentence in which he was serving probation, which is 10 to 20 days. Judge Hall sentenced Dickson to 24 months in the Department of Corrections on the escape charge and one year in the Starke County Jail on the criminal mischief charge. No part of the sentences were suspended. The sentences will be served concurrently, or at the same time. Dickson was also ordered to pay $250 in restitution to Starke County Community Corrections.

Skyler Goble pleaded guilty to a charge of Possession of a Controlled Substance as a Class D felony. Judge Hall sentenced Goble to 13 months in the DOC with seven months suspended to be served on probation. He may serve his sentence on home detention with electronic monitoring through Porter County. He may also take part in a drug rehabilitation program approved by probation and community corrections.

Judge Hall rejected a plea agreement for Dennis Salyer and set his case for trial on April 23 at 9 a.m. He was charged with Possession of Methamphetamine, Possession of Paraphernalia and Possession of Marijuana.