Madison Stafford

KOSCIUSKO — A Walkerton woman was sentenced to three years at the Kosciusko County Jail for allegedly driving the getaway car for a male who burglarized a home in Kosciusko County. 

Madison Marie Stafford, 21, 880 Walkerton Trail, Walkerton, pleaded guilty to burglary, a level 5 felony, Monday, April 1, in Kosciusko Circuit Court.  

According to court documents, on March 27, 2018, officers with the Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Office were called to a county residence where a basement window had been forced open. The police report stated that unknown subjects stole a safe containing jewelry and $8,000 in cash as well as a laptop computer. 

After reportedly receiving information about a male who was involved in the heist, police contacted the male, who told them that Stafford drove him to the residence and then drove the vehicle into the garage of the residence in order to load the stolen items into the vehicle. 

Stafford corroborated the story when police talked to her. She also drove the male to another man’s residence where the safe was opened and the contents distributed. Police said Stafford and the two males then drove to a bridge where the safe was dumped into the water.

Judge Michael Reed sentenced Stafford to three years at the Kosciusko County Jail, with the last year of the sentence to be suspended and served on formal probation. Reed said he had no objection to the executed portion of the sentence being served through work release, provided Stafford is accepted into that program and remains qualified.

Pursuant to the plea agreement, another charge was dismissed. Stafford was given one day of jail time credit and ordered to pay a total of $12,963.47 in restitution.