Tyler Dane Sheetz

WARSAW —Tyler Dane Sheetz, 31, 321 S. High St., Warsaw was sentenced March 13 in Kosciusko Circuit Court after violating drug court and terminating the agreement.

Sheetz was sentenced on two causes from March and April of 2016.

On March 21, 2016 Sheetz was arrested for driving while suspended, class C misdemeanor, after he was stopped when the vehicle he was driving had plates registered to a different car owned by a person with an active warrant.

When officers conducted an inventory search of the vehicle, they found a bag with two glass smoking devices and a plastic container with a white, powdery substance inside that field tested positive for methamphetamine. The smoking devices showed signs of having been used.

According to an affidavit of probable cause, a female passenger in the vehicle told police Sheetz traded meth precursors for meth. She also allegedly admitted to purchasing pseudoephedrine for Sheetz, and Sheetz later admitted to trading the pseudoephedrine for meth.

Sheetz also allegedly admitted to having used meth the day before and that the items in the vehicle were his. Sheetz was then charged with possession of methamphetamine, a level 6 felony.

Sheetz was then arrested April 5, 2016 when the Warsaw Police Drug Task Force arrested four individuals during a drug investigation.

The affidavit of probable cause stated police learned of an individual who purchased marijuana from Sheetz and during the purchase there was a chemical odor associated with manufacturing meth. When police went to the residence they could smell a chemical odor associated with manufacturing meth. Police could also see a bottle cap with a tube protruding through the cap, or an HCL generator and drain opener in plain sight.

During the investigation police learned Sheetz allegedly manufactures methamphetamine at the residence and had arranged for the sale of the methamphetamine.

Sheetz was charged in this cause on dealing in methamphetamine, enhancing circumstances with a child less than 18 years of age present, a level 4 felony, and possession of two or more chemical reagents or precursors with intent to manufacture a controlled substance, a level 6 felony.

Sheetz was originally participating in drug court before violating the participation agreement, and was dismissed after six months with no progress. “Drug court isn’t for everyone,” commented Judge Michael Reed. “Not everyone is ready and willing.”

Sheetz’s attorney, Scott Reust, commented on his lack of criminal history and stated that Sheetz was now ready for a change, requesting purposeful incarceration.

In the first cause, Sheetz was sentenced to 1 1/2 years at the Indiana Department of Corrections for count I possession of methamphetamine and 60 days at the Kosciusko County Sheriff’s for count II driving while suspended. This term will be served consecutively to the following sentence. Sheetz will receive 24 days jail time credit. Judge Reed also suspended Sheetz’s license for an additional six months.

In the second cause, Sheetz was sentenced to six years at the IDOC for count I dealing in methamphetamine and 1 1/2 years for count III possession of a precursor, to be served consecutively. Sheetz was awarded 83 days jail time credit. Sheetz was also ordered restitution to Indiana State Police in the amount of $1,228.79 for environmental clean up.