Mauk Given Time Served, Probation In Syracuse Assault
WARSAW — “I suggest you watch who you hang out with … opportunity to show me you can move on.”
Those were the final comments Kosciusko County Superior Court Judge David Cates made to Mason Mauk 17, 1049 Chapman Lake Drive, Warsaw, during Mauk’s sentencing Thursday morning, March 14. Mauk, who was waived to adult court, was charged with robbery resulting in serious bodily injury, a level 2 felony; burglary, a level 2 felony; battery resulting in serious bodily injury, a level 6 felony; and theft, a level 6 felony March 25, 2018. However, through a plea agreement, Mauk pleaded guilty to a lesser included crime of burglary, a level 5 felony, with all other charges dismissed.
The crime took place on East Haiden Drive, Syracuse, during the early morning hours of March 25. Mauk was 16 at the time.
Cates sentenced Mauk to three years at the Indiana Department of Corrections, suspended any executed time for time served and ordering him to serve the balance on probation. Mauk was given 454 days jail time and good time credit.
As part of the terms of Mauk’s probation, he is to maintain employment and participate in Bowen Center’s substance abuse program and sign all documents and complete all recommendations from that program. “One of the rules of probation is no additional crimes. That means none,” said Cates. Mauk was also ordered to have no contact with the victim or a co-defendant, Nathan Ries. “No contact means no contact whatsoever,” Cates ordered.
Mauk was one of two individuals charged after he and Reis attacked a juvenile and discharged a shotgun at the Haiden Drive apartment complex.
According to court documents the victim suffered a large laceration to his forehead, a contusion to the back and side of his head, abrasions to his elbow and shoulder. A firearm was discharged by the victim following the attack. Several vehicles were reportedly damaged from the gunfire.
Police report the attack was out of revenge. Mauk, Reis and another juvenile had two Airsoft guns with them and they rushed the door of the home with Ries hitting the victim with a baseball bat found in the residence. While the victim was being assaulted, Mauk and the others searched the home for property to steal. Taken was a Remington 1100 .20 gauge shotgun, Save HMR rifle and $2,150 in cash.
Doug Lemon, attorney for Mauk, stated prior to sentencing thinking about the facts of the case and contents of the investigation it caused him to “think back as a kid” and getting into trouble in the neighborhood. “What I remember most, as a kid, is my father asking ‘Whose idea was it?’ The important thing was not being a follower.”
Lemon noted being a follower was one of the things that emerged as he walked with Mauk through this matter. He stated Mauk has learned to not be a follower, make good decisions and not to follow those who do not make good decisions. He noted since Mauk has been on home detention since his release from jail, he has applied himself, applied himself to future responsibilities.
Mauk told the court this experience has been a very eye opening experience and has plans to help others he sees heading down the same path he was heading and to stop them. “I don’t want anybody I know or don’t know taking this path.”
Ries was sentenced Dec. 13 to nine years at IDOC and three years probation for his part in the assault.