By Liz Shepherd
InkFreeNews

Jesse Hurst Messer

WARSAW — A Fort Wayne man was sentenced after stealing a vehicle and gun following an argument with someone he previously lived with.

Jesse Hurst Messer, 54, 2202 Crescent Ave., Fort Wayne, was charged with possession of a narcotic drug, theft of a firearm, theft, and failure to appear, all level 6 felonies. Two additional criminal charges were dismissed as part of a plea agreement.

Messer was sentenced in Kosciusko Circuit Court on Monday, May 10.

On Feb. 26, 2020, an Indiana State Police officer began investigating a report of a stolen firearm. Upon arrival, a person at the scene said Messer stole a firearm from them after an argument.

According to court documents, the person said Messer was staying at their home. An argument occurred after they found out that Messer was using drugs, leading to efforts to kick Messer out.

That same day, the person returned from work and found Messer had returned to the residence, which led to a physical fight. At some point, Messer took a firearm from the person and left the residence on foot.

Police later found Messer in a vehicle near Beaver Dam Lake and searched his vehicle. Messer acknowledged the situation regarding the stolen firearm.

While searching the vehicle, officers found a plastic tube containing methamphetamine residue and a backpack containing an open package of fentanyl.

The person allowed officers to search his garage where Messer previously stayed. Officers found a vehicle that was discovered to be stolen from Kentucky. The person said Messer drove the vehicle when he first arrived at the residence. It was later discovered the vehicle belonged to one of Messer’s previous employers.

During court proceedings, Defense Attorney David Kolbe asked Kosciusko Circuit Court Judge Michael Reed to consider community corrections as part of Messer’s sentence.

For methamphetamine possession, Judge Reed sentenced Messer to one year in the Kosciusko County Jail. He also sentenced Messer to six months in KCJ for failure to appear. Both counts will be served consecutively.

Judge Reed also sentenced Messer to 1 1/2 years in KCJ for each theft charge, with both counts to be served concurrently, or at the same time.

In total, Messer received a three-year sentence, with half of the sentence to be served on probation. Judge Reed said he had no objection to Messer serving the executed portion through the county’s work release or community corrections programs.

Messer has 10 days of jail time credit. He must also pay more than $5,000 in restitution to several of the victims in this case.