Warsaw Man Sentenced After Police Find Drugs, Firearms
KOSCIUSKO — A Warsaw man was sentenced in Kosciusko Circuit Court Monday, Sept. 10, on charges related to an incident in 2017 when officers located over 90 grams of marijuana, cocaine and 11 firearms at his residence.
Enrique Manuel Ramos, Warsaw, pleaded guilty to dealing marijuana in excess of 30 grams and maintaining a common nuisance, both level 6 felonies.
On April 5, 2017, an officer with the Warsaw Police Department responded to a strong odor of marijuana coming from a residence on Michaels Street, Warsaw. When Ramos answered the door, the officer told Ramos to gather everyone in the living room of the house to secure the home for further investigation. Ramos reportedly did not comply and locked the screen door.
According to the affidavit of probable cause, a woman then came to the door. When the officer told her the same thing, she also closed the door on the officer. A small child could be seen walking through the house. Further officer assistance was requested. Additional officers arrived and helped secure the residence. Inside the home were Ramos, his wife, two teenagers and a small child. A search warrant was obtained for the residence.
In the master bedroom dresser, officers discovered smoking devices, marijuana paraphernalia, chunks of marijuana, digital scales, a revolver, two drug ledger books with information, 2.9 grams of hash oil and a cocaine one-hitter.
A locked safe was located in the bedroom closet. Inside the safe, officers located three plastic bags of marijuana weighing 90.2 grams. The bags had markings on them commonly used for dealing drugs. Officers also found multiple smoking devices, metal grinders with marijuana residue, a water bong and three glass jars with marijuana residue.
In a trash bag in the garage, officers found multiple plastic bags with marijuana residue and similar dealing markings. A bag containing cocaine and a dollar bill with cocaine residue were also discovered.
Throughout the house, officers located 11 firearms including shotguns, rifles and handguns. The serial numbers were scratched off one of the handguns. An officer obtained the serial numbers and discovered the gun had been reported stolen to the Mishawaka Police Department.
Elden Stoops, Ramos’ attorney, told Judge Michael Reed that Ramos and his wife are cooperating and taking positive steps.
“They took a DCS class and completed that class within two months. They took Bowen Center classes and passed those and also took MRTs and passed those. They’ve passed all drug tests,” said Stoops. “They’ve turned the corner and are headed in the right direction.”
“From reading the report, I concur with what Mr. Stoops said,” Reed said to Ramos. “It looks like you’ve taken significant efforts to address your issues.”
Reed sentenced Ramos to one and a half years in the Indiana Department of Corrections for each charge, for a combined total of three years at IDOC.
The sentences were ordered to be served consecutively. Reed then suspended the IDOC commitment and ordered the first six months of the sentence to be served at the Kosciusko County Jail. Reed said he would have no objection to Ramos serving the six-month sentence through the Work Release Program, provided Ramos is qualified and remains qualified for the program.
The remaining two and a half years of the sentence were suspended and ordered to be served on formal probation, with standard terms and conditions. Ramos was further ordered to undergo a substance abuse evaluation and to complete any recommended treatment approved by his probation officer.
Ramos will be subject to random drug tests and will pay a drug interdiction fee. He was given one day of jail time credit.
Pursuant to the plea agreement, Ramos was ordered to transfer all proprietary rights to any firearms seized in this case to the Warsaw Police Department so that the weapons may be used either for law enforcement purposes or dismantled. Remaining charges were dismissed, per the plea agreement.