WARSAW — A 24-year-old Warsaw man was sentenced to a total of nine years on Tuesday, March 1, to the Indiana Department of Corrections on two charges of dealing a narcotic drug, both level four felonies. However a portion of the sentence was suspended.

Jesse Austin Caudill, 23, 751 E. Fort Wayne St., Warsaw, through a plea agreement, was sentenced in Kosciusko Circuit Court to three years for Count I, dealing in a narcotic drug, and will be serving the full three years. He was also sentenced for six years Count V, dealing a narcotic drug, but will only have to serve two of those six years with the remaining four on probation. The charges will be served consecutively.

Three charges of possession of a narcotic drug, level 6 felonies and an additional charge of dealing a narcotic drug, a level 4 felony, were dismissed. He was given three days good time credit.

Joseph Sobek, the attorney for Caudill, made a statement to the judge outlining Caudill’s willingness to atone for his mistake. Sobek pointed out Caudill was a high school graduate, had only one prior, which occurred in 2011, he’s a member of the Warsaw Community Church. Sobek also stated Caudill was under no grand illusions and he understands this is very serious case.

When Circuit Court Judge Michael Reed asked Caudill if he had anything he would like to say to the court Caudill stated, “I did learn from my mistake. I never thought I would’ve gotten started into drugs.” He continued by saying, “in affording my addiction I did wrong things. I should’ve gotten help with my addiction instead of helping my addiction.”

In handing down the sentence Reed said, “Sometimes our first mistakes are big mistakes and this is a bad situation as far as the amount of heroin you were distributing.” Reed then told Caudill he had a lot of potential and that he didn’t like sending anyone to jail.

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