Staff Report

WARSAW — A Warsaw man will serve time in prison for battering a woman to the point where she required medical care.

Jacob Isaiah Craft

In Kosciusko Superior Court 1 on Monday,  June 20,  Jacob Isaiah Craft, 29, 4630 S. CR 500E, Warsaw, pleaded guilty to domestic battery resulting in moderate bodily injury, a level 6 felony, and domestic battery with a prior conviction enhancement, a level 5 felony.

Another charge was dismissed, pursuant to the terms of a plea agreement.

On July 4, 2021, a Kosciusko County Sheriff’s deputy went to a local hospital regarding a domestic battery report.

According to court documents, the woman said she and Craft went to a home when a verbal argument began between the two. She told the officer she began crying and was sitting on the floor when Craft grabbed her head and hit her face seven or eight times.

As the woman attempted to stand up, Craft allegedly put her in a chokehold and began squeezing his arms. The woman said she had difficulty breathing and felt like she was about to pass out, but was unsure if she did or not.

When Craft began attempting to look through her phone, the woman left the home and got into a vehicle, leaving the scene. She later went to the hospital due to continual pain in her jaw.

The deputy noted that the woman had bruising and redness to her eye and cheek area, as well as swelling and redness to her jaw. There also appeared to be bruising to her lower jaw and neck, consistent with being put in a chokehold.

Craft was previously convicted of domestic battery in December 2019. The woman in the July 4 incident was also the victim in the December 2019 case.

Judge Karin McGrath reminded the court that if a judge accepts a plea agreement, the judge is bound by the terms of the agreement. 

“Quite honestly, sir if it were up to me, you’d get a lot more time,” McGrath told Craft. “This isn’t your first rodeo.”

Craft was sentenced to four years in prison, at the Indiana Department of Corrections. Two and a half years of the sentence was suspended, to be served on formal probation.

“I don’t want you to have any misunderstanding,” McGrath said. “If we’re back here again, things are not going to go this easily.”

A no-contact order was issued between Craft and the victim. 

Craft was ordered to complete a domestic battery evaluation and any recommended treatment. 

He was denied work release in December. However, if he is later approved for work release, McGrath said she would have no objection to it. 

Referring to the no-contact order, McGrath cautioned, “One slip-up and your work release option is revoked.”

Craft was given 195 days of jail time credit.