WARSAW — A Warsaw man told his sentencing judge, through his attorney, that he has a drug problem as well as other legal issues still hanging over his head as he was ordered to serve a couple of years either behind bars or on work release or Community Corrections for drug offenses.

Samuel Effrien Alvarez

Samuel Effrien Alvarez, 40, 1822 Crescent Drive, Warsaw, pleaded guilty on May 20 to possession of methamphetamine and failure to appear, both level 6 felonies. He remained incarcerated and appeared on Monday, June 17, to be sentenced in the case by Kosciusko County Circuit Court Judge Michael Reed.

“Dog gone, you’re getting too old for this aren’t you?” asked Reed of Alvarez, who told the judge he is also wanted on a warrant for operating while intoxicated in Whitley County. Alvarez’s attorney, Jay Rigdon, told Reed that his client is astutely aware of the core reason for his brushes with the law.

“I think he’s an intelligent man and he’s got a handle on what his issues are,” Ridden said, stressing that chemical dependency has caused Alvarez to have lapses in sound judgment.

According to the Warsaw Police Department, officers approached a disabled vehicle on Feb. 10 and found Alvarez in the passenger’s seat. Police reported they knocked on the window, waking Alvarez who appeared to be intoxicated, although officers reported they could not smell any alcohol.

The affidavit of probable cause stated that police patted Alvarez down and found bags containing what turned out to be methamphetamine and synthetic marijuana.

Reed sentenced Alvarez to one year each for the two charges and told him that while he won’t be able to do anything about the outstanding charges in other cases, he (Reed) would approve work release or Community Corrections if the defendant is accepted. Due to jail time credit, Alvarez has about eight months remaining to serve.