Kimbert Crafton

WARSAW — Kimbert Alvin Gregory Crafton, 34, 609 W. Boston, Syracuse, has found himself returning to the Indiana Department of Corrections to serve out his sentence in two Kosciusko County cases. He had been released from IDOC March 17 after serving time for probation violation in a Marshall County case.

Crafton appeared before Kosciusko Superior Court 3 Judge Joe Sutton March 19 on two motions. The state filed a motion to modify placement, while Crafton’s attorney filed a motion for a modification of sentence to home detention. Sutton took the matter under advisement and ruled Tuesday in favor of the state for the sentence to be served at IDOC instead of the Kosciusko County Jail.

The state’s motion to modify placement stems from a Sept. 22, 2018, Kosciusko County Jail incident report in which Crafton and 12 others, all jail trustees, tested positive for methamphetamine.

Christanne Hampton, deputy prosecuting attorney, filed the modification request. Her request noted Oct. 18, 2017, Crafton was sentenced to 42 months of incarceration on charges of theft, resisting law enforcement and attempt to commit theft. The court had discretion to allow Crafton to remain at the county jail to provide an opportunity to serve the sentence on work release or community corrections. Documents also state Oct. 3, 2017, he committed the offense of impersonating a public servant and July 11, 2018, he was sentenced to one year in the IDOC or KCJ with no objection to work release or community corrections. His projected release date is Aug. 31, 2020. It also noted Crafton is not serving any of his sentence on work release or community corrections.

During the court hearing Hampton informed the court of Crafton’s lack of being able to follow rules and his aggressive behavior while at the jail. She added due to the length of time remaining on his sentence he would have more opportunities for drug programs at IDOC.

Doug Lemon, attorney for Crafton, argued if the allegations of misconduct at the county jail were true, it did not give rise to modify his sentence. He referred to the plea agreement of a cap of five years and he was sentenced to three years, arguing the misconduct should not increase his time. He suggested his good time credit be adjusted, not incarceration time increased which would be de facto to resentencing his client.

It was also noted at the hearing Kosciusko County Community Corrections would not accept Crafton into the program. His attorney asked for time for him to apply for acceptance in the Michiana Community Corrections program.

Crafton was sentenced Oct. 18, 2017, to a total of six years on charges of attempted to commit theft, resisting law enforcement and theft. His received a stay of judgement a month later while his appeal was pending. That appeal was denied by the Indiana Court of Appeals in May 2018.

Jail Incident Report

Court documents show Sept. 22, 2018, a jail officer was advised by another officer a trustee was possibly under the influence of some kind of drug. That inmate advised the officer other trustees were picking on him at the laundry and during the conversation the officer could tell he was under the influence. That inmate was taken for a urine drug screen, which he failed for methamphetamine, buprenorphine and amphetamine. The officer then drug tested the entire trustee block. During the testing several inmates attempted to use false means to provide the sample. Crafton was one of those individuals. The report shows Crafton had a rubber glove with a small tube on the end of it full of a liquid hidden in his underwear. Crafton and the other 12 were moved back to specific blocks and good time credit was removed.

Crafton is no stranger to the IDOC. He was sentenced March 1, 2006, to four years in a Marshall County robbery case. However after his release in 2007, his probation was revoked and in January 2008 an amended motion to revoke his probation was filed after he was arrested for arson with injury in Elkhart County.

In the arson case he was sentenced to 20 years, but following his release in 2013, he violated the terms of Elkhart County Community Corrections in July 2016. He was ordered to serve 90 days at the Elkhart County Community Corrections Facility. He also violated terms in the Marshall County robbery case and was sentenced back to IDOC in September 2018 for one year, being released March 17.

Additionally while out on bond on various charges in Kosciusko County, he was charged March 1, 2018, on theft charges in Elkhart County. He was sentenced Sept. 12, 2018, to two years of incarceration to be served following his incarceration on the two cases in Kosciusko County.