Daricus Phillips

WARSAW — A Warsaw man received a sentence of nine years at the Indiana Department of Corrections for breaking into a home last year.

Daricus Phillips, Warsaw, received a sentence today, May 8, for counts of burglary and robbery resulting in serious bodily injury, both level 2 felonies. Per the plea agreement, counts of theft and robbery resulting in bodily injury were dropped.

Phillips was sentenced to 9 years at the Indiana Department of Corrections for each count. The sentences are to be served concurrently.

Phillips’ charges stem from a home invasion that took place last November.

According to police documents, Monday Nov. 7, 2016, Warsaw Police responded to Oak Brooke Place on the east side of Warsaw for a home invasion that had just taken place.

The homeowner told police that her neighbor, Phillips, knocked on her door asking if her nephew was there, to which she replied that he was not. A few moments later, Phillips again knocked on the door and when the homeowner answered, Phillips and Jwain Sullivan forced their way into the residence asking again for her nephew and asking where the money was.

After responding that there was no money, Sullivan struck the homeowner in the face with an crowbar wrapped in a towel. The homeowner and the intruders argued and woke the homeowner’s fiancé who confronted the intruders and he was also struck in the face with the crowbar in the towel. The intruders eventually fled after taking a Playstation 4, a cell phone, cash and some marijuana.

Police searched the area and found Phillips and his girlfriend, Taylor Brandon, at a nearby gas station and took them into custody and interviewed them. A consensual search of cell phones found messages of drug activity between the homeowner’s nephew and the suspects.

During the sentencing, Phillips’ lawyer John Barrett mentioned Phillips used to play football for Warsaw Community High School and had done well in school. “Something happened between graduation and today,” said Barrett.

Barrett indicated Phillips addiction to marijuana had played a huge part in Phillips poor choices. “He got so hooked on marijuana that it became the driving force in his life.”

Phillips declined to comment during the sentencing.

Judge Michael Reed commented on the fact that Phillips has committed violent crimes at such a young age. “Even though you’re 21, it’s a mess… You’ve broken into homes, violated the sanctity of that.”

Phillips received 51 days of jail time credit for time already served.