Johnathan Heckaman

WARSAW — Johnathan Roger Heckaman, 35, 7745 N. SR 13, North Webster, pled guilty to intimidation, a level 6 felony, after hitting his girlfriend on the thumb with his crutch, sending her threatening texts and threatening a local judge.

According to an affidavit of probable cause, an officer with the Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Department responded to a domestic dispute at Heckaman’s residence on July 22.

When the officer arrived he spoke with Heckaman who reported his girlfriend had splashed beer on him and he had used his crutch to fend her off. When the officer spoke with Heckaman’s girlfriend she stated Heckaman had hit her on the thumb with his crutch and she threw beer on him. She also reported that on July 21, Heckaman was talking about his case and Kosciusko Superior I Judge Dave Cates. Heckaman stated he knew where Cates lived and if things didn’t go his way in court he was going to kill Cates.

On Aug. 4, Heckaman’s girlfriend met with a Kosciusko County prosecutor’s investigator and provided text messages from Heckaman to her phone. The messages stated Heckaman was going to kill her for ruining his life. The investigator obtained copies of the text messages.

Heckaman pled guilty to these charges Jan. 25 in Kosciusko County Circuit Court. Heckaman’s attorney, Scott Lennox, told the court that he had known Heckaman for a long time, and added, “the last six months have been the best Johnathan Heckaman I’ve known.”

Both Lennox and Heckaman told the courts that Heckaman’s outburst and legal issues were caused by a poor medication combination. Both insisted that Heckaman is now on a better combination and that is behavior is calm.

Judge Michael Reed accepted the plea agreement finding Heckaman guilty of intimidation and sentenced Heckaman to two years at the Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Department. The judge made a recommendation for him to serve one year at Community Corrections, suspended the second year to be served on probation. He will receive 32 days good jail time credit.

Heckaman was also ordered to undergo anger management counseling and has forfeited his right to possess a firearm for life.