By Liz Shepherd
InkFreeNews

Angel Michelle Roberts

WARSAW — A Warsaw woman will serve five years in prison for two drug-related cases.

In the first case, Angel Michelle Roberts, 21, 2016 E. Market St., Warsaw, was charged with possession of methamphetamine and failure to appear, both level 6 felonies; and possession of paraphernalia, a class C misdemeanor. Roberts was also charged with dealing in methamphetamine, a level 4 felony; and possession of methamphetamine and unlawful possession of a syringe, both level 6 felonies, in a second case.

One felony marijuana dealing case and two misdemeanor cases were all dismissed as part of a plea agreement.

Roberts was sentenced in Kosciusko Circuit Court on Jan. 4.

On March 2, 2019, a Kosciusko County Sheriff’s officer went to a residence to serve a warrant. The residence’s homeowner said they did not believe the person who officers were searching for was inside, but allowed officers to enter and search.

According to court documents, officers checked a bedroom and found two people sleeping, one of whom was Roberts. Officers found a glass smoking device with burnt residue in the bedroom.

While obtaining Roberts’ information, officers noticed she was visibly intoxicated. The other person admitted that he and Roberts had used the device earlier that night. Officers also found a plastic bag containing meth.

On May 10, 2019, a Warsaw Police officer was involved in a traffic stop at a Freedom Express gas station. During the traffic stop, the officer saw a man who appeared to be in medical distress standing by a vehicle. Medics took the man to an area hospital. Roberts was a passenger in the vehicle the man was standing by.

According to court documents, since the vehicle had been abandoned at the gas pumps, the officer towed the man’s vehicle and searched it. While searching the vehicle, the officer found a purse containing a syringe that tested positive for methamphetamine. When asked if there were drugs in the vehicle, Roberts began to cry, saying she had recently been arrested for methamphetamine possession and couldn’t get in more trouble.

In the vehicle’s trunk, officers found a plastic bag containing two grams of methamphetamine, five syringes, a large amount of tiny bags, two glass pipes with residue and a digital scale.

The officer obtained a search warrant for Roberts’ phone and found evidence in conversations that Roberts was lining up drug sales and distribution.

“She’s accepted her mistakes and wants to get her life back in order,” said Defense Attorney Scott Reust during court proceedings.

“I want to get this put behind me and move forward,” said Roberts.

In the first case, for methamphetamine possession and failure to appear, Kosciusko Circuit Court Judge Michael Reed sentenced Roberts to one year in the Indiana Department of Corrections for each charge. Reed also sentenced Roberts to two months in the Kosciusko County Jail for possession of paraphernalia. All three charges will be served consecutively and after Roberts serves her sentence in the dealing case.

The sentences for the meth and paraphernalia possession charges were both suspended on probation. Roberts also has 366 days of jail time credit in the first case, leaving her to only serve one year and two months on probation.

In the second case, for methamphetamine dealing, Roberts was sentenced to three years in prison. For possession of meth and unlawful possession of a syringe, she was also sentenced to one year in prison for each charge. All three charges will be served consecutively. Roberts also has 91 days of jail time credit in the second case.

As part of her sentence, Judge Reed recommended Roberts complete the Recovery While Incarcerated program as part of her sentence.

In total, Roberts received a six-year prison sentence, with one year of the sentence suspended on probation.