Offenders Appear in Court for Violations

  Two offenders appeared in Starke Circuit Court yesterday after it was found that they violated terms of their plea agreements and rules with Community Corrections.

David Ratcliff of San Pierre was serving a sentence on home detention and work release when he violated several rules. He violated a major financial agreement, failed drug screens and was in possession of contraband. Judge Kim Hall ordered him to serve the remainder of his 24 month sentence in the Department of Corrections. He was given credit time from July 11 to March 27 plus three days.

Edward Dudek of Warsaw was sentenced in a case on Feb. 12 where he was to go to Knights Community Corrections to get signed up for home detention. Dudek explained to the judge that his phone was shut off and he had to wait a week to get in touch with Knights Community Corrections. By Feb. 27, he hadn’t appeared and a warrant was issued for his arrest. Dudek turned himself into the Starke County Jail on Monday.

Dudek’s attorney stated that Knights Community Corrections would still take him, if a hearing could be rescheduled. Judge Hall stated that Dudek will go to the Department of Corrections but he would allow communication with community corrections before he is sent to the DOC to iron out details.