By Liz Shepherd
InkFreeNews

Chadd Leroy Shumaker

WARSAW — A Warsaw man will serve a four-year sentence locally on two drug possession cases.

In the first case, Chadd Leroy Shumaker, 40, 113 S. Wood St., Warsaw, was charged with possession of methamphetamine and failure to appear, both level 6 felonies. He was also charged with possession of methamphetamine, a level 5 felony, in a second case. Eight additional criminal charges were dismissed as part of a plea agreement.

Shumaker was sentenced in Kosciusko Circuit Court on Monday, Aug. 8.

On Nov. 10, 2021, a Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Office deputy was in the area of Anchorage Road in Warsaw when he ran the license plate of a vehicle traveling in front of him. The deputy received an alert that the vehicle was on a lookout list, as it was being driven by Shumaker, who had an outstanding felony warrant at the time.

According to court documents, a K9 unit at the scene alerted to illegal drugs inside Shumaker’s vehicle. While searching the vehicle, officers found clear plastic bags containing methamphetamine and digital scales with methamphetamine residue.

Shumaker then failed to appear for an initial hearing on this matter in December 2021.

On Jan. 18, 2022, a Warsaw Police officer assisted with serving an arrest warrant. Officers were advised Shumaker was in an apartment, but all doors leading into the common area of the residence were locked. The property owner gave officers permission to make forced entry if Shumaker did not leave in five minutes. Officers had to make forced entry into the building.

While searching the building’s attic for Shumaker, officers noticed a small cutout in the floor, which was behind a brick chimney. Officers approached the cutout and noticed a person’s legs. Shumaker and a child came out and were escorted out of the home. It took officers about two hours to find Shumaker.

While searching the area where Shumaker was hiding, officers found a glass smoking device with methamphetamine residue.

The child, who was visibly upset and crying, told officers that Shumaker made them hide. When the child asked to leave multiple times, Shumaker refused to let the child go.

During court proceedings, Chief Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Brad Voelz recalled the case and said some of the circumstances within it should be considered as aggravating factors against Shumaker. Voelz noted Shumaker’s extensive criminal history and said a child being involved in the incident was a significant aggravator.

Defense Attorney Austin Rovenstine said he and Shumaker disputed some of the statements made by Voelz. Rovenstine said Shumaker has been accepted to Kosciusko County’s community corrections program and currently works as a trustee in the Kosciusko County Jail.

“I failed as a father and what I did was wrong,” said Shumaker. “I finally feel like I’m doing better and I’ve done everything I can to better myself.”

For possession of methamphetamine in the November 2021 case, Judge Reed sentenced Shumaker to one year in KCJ. Shumaker also received a one-year KCJ sentence for failure to appear.

For possession of methamphetamine in the January case, Shumaker received a two-year sentence at KCJ. All three charges will be served consecutively to each other and consecutively to a Wabash County domestic battery case.

In total, Shumaker received a four-year sentence. Judge Reed said he had no objection to Shumaker serving his sentence through either Kosciusko County or Wabash County’s work release programs. Shumaker has 99 days of jail time credit.