WARSAW — A Warsaw man was sentenced in Kosciusko Circuit Court on Monday, Nov. 6, for possession of cocaine and possession of a syringe, both level 6 felonies.

Tyler Adam Prestin, 26, 2441 West CR 250S, Warsaw, was sentenced on charges related to an incident that took place March 28 when an Indiana State Police officer was driving through Etna Green and observed a woman running towards the road waving her arms. The woman told the officer that a female was being beaten by a man later identified as Prestin.

Upon arriving at the house, the officer spoke with the victim, who was crying and holding a small child. She advised that her boyfriend had hit her and left the residence on foot.

According to the affidavit of probable cause, the officer located Prestin and placed him in hand restraints. Prestin was found to be in possession of a set of digital scales, a hypodermic needle, marijuana, five marked bags of Alprazolam pills and five bags of methamphetamine. The officer determined that the markings on the bags were prices for the drugs.

Prestin advised the officer that he uses the digital scales to weigh marijuana. He told the officer that the pills were for his anxiety. When the officer asked if Prestin had hit the victim, Prestin said he may have bumped her face with his shoulder.

The victim advised that the two had been arguing about Prestin using her vehicle. According to the victim, the argument escalated, and Prestin pulled the necklace she was wearing, causing the chain to break. The victim stated that Prestin then hit her in the face.

In today’s court session, Judge Michael Reed chastised Prestin for missing a recent court appearance.

Prestin apologized, explaining that his child was born two and a half months early and he has been spending much of his time at the hospital with his baby.

“My head is all over the place. I’m trying to deal with my kid, trying to deal with court, trying to do the right thing,” Prestin stated.

“Some of this is pretty hard for me to swallow because you were here in October and I got the same song and dance out of you then,” said Reed, “It’s excuse after excuse after excuse with you, and it’s time to step up. You’ve got to be a man about this – it’s not everybody else’s problem.”

Judge Reed sentenced Prestin to one year in the Kosciusko County Jail for the possession of cocaine charge. Regarding the possession of a syringe charge, Reed sentenced Prestin to six months in the Kosciusko County Jail. The sentences are to be served consecutively. Prestin was given two days of jail time credit and ordered to pay court costs. Pursuant to the plea agreement, three other charges were dismissed.