KOSCIUSKO COUNTY — Elkhart Superior 1 Judge Evan S. Roberts, special judge in the court proceedings of C. Aaron Rovenstine, Mark H. Soto and Kevin Bronson, has set a status conference for all three defendants in the courtroom of Elkhart Superior Court 1, 315 S. Second St., Elkhart. The judge declined to approve the proposed scheduling order as to its form in each of the cases and set the new date.

Status conferences will be at 1 p.m. for Soto; 2 p.m. for Rovenstine; and 3 p.m. for Bronson Friday, April 15. Each defendant and his attorneys are ordered to appear. According to the clerk of the court, the status conferences will be open to the public.

The three were indicted by a Kosciusko County Grand Jury, which was publicly announced on Feb. 29.

Rovenstine, sheriff of Kosciusko County, has been charged with three counts of bribery, intimidation, assisting a criminal and and five counts of official misconduct.

Soto has been charged with three counts of corrupt business influence and three counts of intimidation.

Bronson has been charged with three counts of corrupt business influence and seven counts of intimidation

In additional filings Tuesday, Roberts approved Scott Lennox’s request, Soto’s attorney, for the motion to waive the initial hearing. Roberts also appointed Elkhart attorney Eric Kinsman as counsel for Bronson. He noted he reserves the right to order the defendant to reimburse the court for the costs and use of pauper counsel. A transport order has been issued to the sheriff of Elkhart County to transport Bronson from the Marshall County Jail to the Elkhart County Correctional Facility for his attendance at the hearing.

Related:

• Initial Hearings Waived For Rovenstine, Soto
• Roberts Named Special Judge In Indictment Cases
• More Details On Retaliation Investigation
• Sheriff’s Threats Recorded, Gaps Found In Recordings
• Bronson In Disbelief On Indictments, Sentenced On Drug Charges
• Former Prosecutor files appearance for Rovenstine
• Sheriff Back At Work, Innocent Until Proven Guilty
• Search Warrant Served, Evidence Collected
• Many In Shock Over Sheriff’s Indictment
• People’s Reaction To Rovenstine’s Arrest
• Grand Jury Explained
• Documents Still Remain Sealed, Could Be Vital Importance To County
• BREAKING: Sheriff, College Professor Among Three Indicted
• Press Conference on Grand Jury Indictment
• Professor Seeks Millions for Vindictive WPD Actions
• Bronson Cocaine Arrest from 2014