WARSAW — A Warsaw man can possibly work his way out from behind bars after getting multiple suspended sentences in drug and theft-related charges on Monday, Nov. 19.

Ridley L. Brown, 39, 502 Oldfather St., Warsaw, was facing two counts of possession of methamphetamine, both level 6 felonies; two counts of possession of paraphernalia, both class C misdemeanors; possession of a narcotic drug, a level 6 felony; possession of marijuana and operating while intoxicated, as well as burglary, a level 4 felony and theft.

In one of the cases, police reported that Brown was identified by witnesses as having been seen leaving the residence of a person who reported the theft of $5,825 in one-dollar coins. He was, according to police, identified on surveillance video in a bank cashing in the coins that were reported stolen.

Brown was also arrested on multiple drug charges when officers made a traffic stop after he allegedly failed to yield.

Brown appeared in court Oct. 29 and pleaded guilty to both of the methamphetamine possession charges and the possession of a narcotic drug, as well as the burglary charge. He also pleaded guilty to operating while intoxicated.

Through his attorney, Joseph A. Sobek, Brown told Judge Michael Reed, he hoped to stay locally and receive work release so he could take care of family issues. Sobek said Brown also wanted to pay back the money stolen during the coin heist.

“Mr. Brown, you’ve got to get a handle on this,” Reed told the defendant. “You’re too old, you’ve been doing this too long. If you don’t get your underlying problems square, you run the risk of being back in here.”

Brown’s burglary charge netted a three-year sentence with the Indiana Department of Corrections, each drug charge came with a one-year term. Reed ordered Brown to serve 60 days for operating while intoxicated. Each sentence was suspended, providing Brown gets accepted into work release. He also received 139 days of time served credit.