Niccole Paschall

WARSAW — A Nappanee woman was sentenced on multiple charges Monday, Jan. 8, in the Kosciusko County Circuit Court.

Niccole Marie Paschall, 35, 452 South Main Street, Nappanee, was sentenced on charges of possession of methamphetamine and neglect of a dependent, level 5 felonies, possession of a narcotic drug and failure to appear, level 6 felonies, and two counts of theft, both class A misdemeanors.

According to the affidavit of probable cause, in August 2016, a detective with the Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Department began a check fraud investigation involving Paschall.

The officer obtained copies of nine checks written in June 2016 on a closed Lake City Bank checking account belonging to Paschall. The detective also obtained copies of eight checks written in July and August 2016 that were returned for nonsufficient funds. These checks were written from a checking account belonging to Sheila Hoelderle, who reported on July 11, 2016 that her residence had been burglarized and her checkbook stolen.

Surveillance video was obtained from one incident and police identified the person cashing Paschall’s checks as Tiffany Anderson, who advised that she and Paschall were involved in writing checks on Paschall’s closed account and Hoelderle’s account.

Paschall was also arrested in April 2016 and January 2017. The April arrest came after police found nine grams of meth in a pouch Paschall had removed from her purse. The pouch additionally contained syringes, spoons with burnt residue and miscellaneous methamphetamine items.

During this incident, police were talking to Paschall when she took a small clear plastic bag out of her purse and attempted to conceal the bag from officers.

After obtaining a search warrant for Paschall’s home, officers found a substance that tested positive for methamphetamine, weighing over 1 gram. Police also found numerous digital scales, syringes and plastic bags. On a child’s bed, officers found a torch used for ingesting meth, syringes and other meth-related items. In the garage police found two one-pot meth labs, precursors, and a prescription bill bottle containing meth.

The January arrest stemmed from attempting to cash in fraudulent pull-tab tickets at the Barbee Hotel in December 2016.

“I know it looks bad,” said Paschall at the court sentencing. “It makes me sick to think about the things I was doing.”

“It looks bad because it is bad,” said Judge Michael Reed. “You’re not going to like me when we’re done today – it’s just that simple.”

“Your rehabilitation is a long road and if you don’t take it seriously starting today you’re not going to be successful,” said Reed. “This is the court’s last chance to get it right.”

For the charges of possession of methamphetamine and neglect of a dependent, level 5 felonies, Reed sentenced Paschall to three years for each charge in the Indiana Department of Corrections, to be served consecutively. Paschall was given 145 days of jail time credit.

Regarding the possession of a narcotic drug charge, a level 6 felony, Paschall was sentenced to one year at the IDOC, suspended and to be served on probation, consecutive to the other sentence. Paschall was given one day of jail time credit and ordered to complete a substance abuse evaluation and any recommended treatment.

For the two counts of theft, class A misdemeanors, Reed sentenced Paschall to one year for each charge, to be served in the Kosciusko County Jail consecutively, suspended and ordered to be served on probation.

Regarding the failure to appear charge, level 6 felony, Reed ordered Paschall to serve one year at IDOC, consecutive to other cases, with the sentence suspended and to be served on probation.

Pursuant to the plea agreement, all remaining charges were dismissed.