Phillip Boyd

WARSAW — A Warsaw man was sentenced to serve three years in Kosciusko Superior Court I on Thursday, Nov. 29, for his connection to a conspiracy to commit robbery that occurred in October 2017. 

Phillip Nicholas Boyd, 18, 603 N. Parker St., Warsaw, pleaded guilty to battery, a level 5 felony. 

On Oct. 30, 2017, a call was dispatched in reference to armed subjects in the 400 block of South Columbia Street, Warsaw. The caller stated that three men with firearms jumped out of a vehicle. The caller further advised he witnessed the occupants re-enter the same vehicle and provided police with a description.

Officers located the vehicle and conducted a traffic stop. The driver of the vehicle was identified as Nathan Dollar, Columbia City, and the occupants as Jeffery Walker, Milford, and David Lee Mefford, South Whitley. The affidavit states that Dollar advised he drove Walker and Mefford to Warsaw to rob people because one of their friends, identified as CC, had recently been robbed. 

Dollar further advised that after parking the vehicle the trio began walking toward the residence of CC when Dollar talked them out of going and they turned around. A search warrant was obtained and cell phones were obtained from the three males. Information was found identifying their subject, referred to as AA.

When officers went to AA’s residence, a vehicle drove by slowly. Officers stopped the vehicle, and the driver advised that CC had gone to AA’s residence to sell marijuana and that AA was battered and his marijuana stolen. AA advised that Nathan Ries, Syracuse, and a male subject hit and kicked CC and robbed him of his marijuana. She stated they used her Snapchat to order marijuana and then beat up CC and stole the marijuana. Boyd was also at the residence.

Officers spoke with Ries, who confirmed that AA had used Snapchat to arrange a purchase of 1/2 ounce of marijuana for $130. When CC came to the residence, Ries advised AA walked him upstairs where Ries, Boyd and another male were waiting. Ries advised Boyd struck and kicked CC.

According to the affidavit, CC admitted to going to Warsaw to see AA after she arranged for him to come over via Snapchat. She had advised that one male would be there, but there were three. CC stated that one of the subjects started hitting him and he went unconscious. When he woke up, the subjects were telling him to leave the residence.

“Phillip just turned 18,” said Boyd’s attorney, David Kolbe. “We’re at the point where he needs to make a decision on what type of person he wants to be.”

Kolbe told Judge David Cates that he feels Boyd has potential and pointed out that Boyd’s mother is very ill. 

Cates sentenced Boyd to three years at the Kosciusko County Jail, with one year of the sentence to be suspended and served on formal probation. Cates stated he would have no objection to Boyd serving the executed portion of the sentence through the work release program, provided Boyd is qualified and remains qualified. 

Boyd was also ordered to complete a substance abuse assessment and any recommended treatment at the Bowen Center. Boyd was given 69 days of jail time credit.