Kimbert Alvin Gregory Crafton

WARSAW — “Give me probation, that’s better than work release,” Kimbert Alvin Gregory Crafton, 32, 609 W. Boston St., Syracuse, stated to Kosciusko Superior Court III Judge Joe Sutton, following his sentencing Wednesday morning, Oct. 18. Sutton had just sentenced Crafton to 5 ½ years in the county jail and six months probation, with no objection to work release.

Crafton appeared in court for sentencing for an attempted theft at Walmart, and charges of theft and resisting law enforcement following a three-county police chase.

Crafton will again appear before Sutton at 1 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 25, for an initial hearing on his Oct. 6 arrest on a charge of impersonating a public official.

He has indicated he will appeal his case and Don Shuler, Goshen, was assigned to handle the appeal.

However, Crafton appeared to not grasp the sentence and the order to pay restitution to four victims totaling $20,054.59. Crafton was sentenced in two cases on charges of attempted theft, resisting law enforcement and theft. Per the plea agreement all other charges would be dismissed, and his time of incarceration would be no more than six years, but additional time could be added to be served on probation.

“With all that jail time, it ain’t going to happen,” Crafton told Sutton, regarding paying the four victims.

“You want to rip everybody off and say no big deal? You put yourself in a bad situation,” Sutton responded, adding he will work with Crafton regarding the restitution. “You went out and did something else, you put yourself in a box and picked up another charge that made it worse. You chose expensive things to steal – you could have gone to Nappanee Police Department and asked for your stuff back … you could have walked out of here on work release,” concluded Sutton. “It’s no big deal is what you’re telling me with your attitude.”

However Crafton continued to appear argumentative with the judge who stated “I’m going to quit arguing with you. We’re not making any headway.” But even after the case was ended and Crafton was awaiting transportation to the county jail, he approached Sutton who was still on the bench. Chief Deputy Prosecutor Brad Voelz stepped between Crafton and the judge and asked him several times to back away from the bench.

During the hearing Crafton’s “horrible criminal history,” was noted by Voelz, asking “what do you do with an unrepentant career, violent felon?” He referred to the 20-year sentence in Elkhart County for an arson for hire charge in 2008. “It didn’t work. They let him go. He’s a menace and danger to the people … he should be separated from society for as long as possible.”

While his attorney, John Barret, agreed his client had a significant criminal history, Crafton was accepting his responsibility in these two cases. He pointed out a drug habit pushed him to stealing to buy the drugs. But since his incarceration he has been clean. But Crafton interrupted his attorney when he was reviewing his past criminal history, disputing two community corrections violations in his criminal history report. Crafton also repeatedly denied stealing an ATV and cargo trailer. “I don’t know who they are,” he stated referring to Donna Fisher and Thomas Tuttle II, listed in the restitution.

During questioning by Sutton, Crafton claimed he was asleep in his vehicle, when the police officer knocked on his window. He stated it scared him and he took off. He also admitted he had the title to the trailer in the impound at Nappanee Police, but never went to them with that proof to retrieve it. He just took it.

See related: Weeks Before Sentencing, Crafton Impersonates A Police Officer