By Liz Shepherd
InkFreeNews

Jeremy Jacob Neibert

WARSAW — A Warsaw man who will graduate this week from the county’s Jail Chemical Addiction Program (JCAP) received a four-year suspended sentence in a drug possession case.

Jeremy Jacob Neibert, 32, 5005 W. Island Lane, Warsaw, was charged with possession of methamphetamine and operating a vehicle as a habitual traffic violator, both level 5 felonies; and resisting law enforcement, a level 6 felony. He was also present in court to address a probation violation from a July 2018 methamphetamine possession case.

Neibert was sentenced in Kosciusko Circuit Court on Monday, Nov. 8.

On July 1, 2020, officers received information of Neibert being in possession of methamphetamine. The officers also learned that Neibert left an undisclosed area in a vehicle. Neibert is a habitual traffic violator, with a lifetime suspension as a result of a conviction for operating as a habitual traffic violator in January 2019. Officers also discovered that Neibert had a warrant for his arrest in the probation violation matter.

According to court documents, when an officer attempted to pull him over, Neibert began to flee from the officer. Neibert then led officers in a vehicle pursuit and disregarded stop signs in the process. Eventually, Neibert’s vehicle came to a stop.

A K-9 unit at the scene alerted to drugs in Neibert’s vehicle. While searching the vehicle, officers found over 11 grams of methamphetamine.

At the time of the pursuit, Neibert was on pretrial release for two criminal cases of operating a vehicle as a habitual traffic violator. He was also on probation for methamphetamine possession.

Neibert participated in JCAP and will be graduating from the program on Friday, Nov. 12. Several of Neibert’s relatives, as well as JCAP mentors, attended the sentencing in support of Neibert.

During court proceedings, Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Matt Buehler commended Neibert for his efforts in the JCAP program. Neibert also thanked Kosciusko Circuit Court Judge Michael Reed for allowing him to participate in the program.

“It’s changed my life,” said Neibert.

For possession of methamphetamine, Judge Reed sentenced Neibert to three years in the Indiana Department of Correction. Neibert was also sentenced to one year in DoC for operating a vehicle as a habitual traffic violator and one year at DoC for resisting law enforcement. The one-year sentences will be served concurrently, or at the same time; however, the one year will be served consecutively to the methamphetamine possession charge.

Judge Reed suspended the DoC commitment and had no objection to Neibert serving his sentence through the county’s work release or community corrections programs. The sentence will run consecutively to three additional criminal cases.

In total, Neibert received a four-year suspended sentence that can be served through work release or community corrections.

Judge Reed also ordered the remaining balance of the one-year sentence imposed in Neibert’s July 2018 case be served. However, he also showed no objection to work release or community corrections for that case as well.

Neibert’s driver’s license and driving privileges continue to remain suspended for life.