By Liz Shepherd
InkFreeNews

Chandler Michael Hyndman

WARSAW — A Cromwell man received a six-year suspended sentence for his involvement in a string of burglaries that occurred in August 2018.

Chandler Michael Hyndman, 24, 1833 N. SR 5, Cromwell, was charged with burglary, a level 4 felony. Three theft charges and two additional burglary charges were dismissed as part of a plea agreement.

Hyndman was sentenced in Kosciusko Superior Court Three on Tuesday, Jan. 12.

On Aug. 18, 2018, a man informed the Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Office of multiple items being stolen from his garage. Items included an air compressor, photogenic light, ammunition box and two extension cords. On Aug. 20, 2018, a second man reported that items were stolen from his residence, including a battery box and checks.

Court documents state that several days after these initial reports, a third man also reported items being stolen from his residence. The items included multiple firearms, a digital camera, crossbow, zero turn lawn mower and a weed eater.

Investigating officers received information that the items were at Justin Ottinger’s residence in Noble County. While searching the residence, officers found items that belonged to the three men who reported the thefts.

Ottinger told the police that he and three other men, one of which being Hyndman, had burglarized one residence. Hyndman told officers that they stole a zero turn lawn mower and were driving it down a road but that it was going too slow, leading them to hide it in some weeds. Hyndman took police to where the lawn mower was at.

During the investigation, police learned Hyndman and Scott Noble burglarized two other residences.

In court, Defense Attorney Seth Tipton noted that Hyndman is at low risk to commit another crime and that he acted more so as a lookout during the burglaries.

“He’s a good man with a wonderful family,” said Chief Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Brad Voelz about Hyndman and his plea agreement. “I hope you accept this gift and make yourself and your family proud.”

For burglary, Hyndman received a six-year suspended sentence.

“If something like this were to happen again, it would be a completely different sentencing for you,” said Kosciusko Superior Court Three Judge Chad Miner.

Noble was sentenced to six years in prison for the incident on Aug. 12, 2020; he is incarcerated in the Westville Correctional Facility with a projected release date of July 15, 2028. This projection is due to Noble also serving time for a Noble County burglary matter and a second Kosciusko County burglary case.

Ottinger will be sentenced for these burglaries on Feb. 9.