WARSAW — “I think that this wraps it up,” said Prosecutor Brad Voelz, speaking at the sentencing hearing for a 19-year-old Columbia City man implicated as part of a group of men police say tried to rob a rival group of drug dealers.

Nathan James Dollar

Nathan James Dollar, 19, 4020 South SR 9, was clean-shaven and well-dressed when he appeared for his sentencing in Kosciusko County Superior Court I on Thursday, Dec. 20. He pleaded guilty on Nov. 1 to conspiracy to commit intimidation, a level 5 felony.

Dollar was arrested Oct. 31, 2017 after he and two other men were arrested for conspiring to rob a rival drug dealer. They told police they were planning to retaliate for one of their friends who had allegedly been robbed of drugs and beaten up by a local drug dealer. At least one of those men in Dollar’s party, along with a member of the rival group, have already been sentenced in the incident.

“I talked to a lot of people in this case,” said Voelz. “Some of those cooperators indicated that Mr. Dollar was more involved in this case then he has led you to believe.”

Dollar’s attorney, Jack Birch, agreed with Voelz that Dollar may have been more complicit in the crime, but added that he’s witnessed a change in attitude from Dollar.

“He’s a young kid,” said Birch. “I think Nathan was caught up in the gangster idea and I think reality has really caught up with him. I don’t think he’s going to be back in this situation in the future.”

Judge David Cates addressed Dollar before passing sentence.

“I hope that what I’ve heard, that you’ve substantially changed, is correct,” Cates said.

Dollar received a sentence of three years with the Indiana Department of Corrections, with two years suspended and on probation. He received three days of credit for time served. Cates told Dollar that he could apply for community corrections to serve the remaining year.