By Liz Shepherd
InkFreeNews

Jeremy Allen Smith

WARSAW — A Milford man will serve a three-year sentence locally after breaking into a woman’s home and slashing a tire on a vehicle.

In the first case, Jeremy Allen Smith, 43, 13790 N. 100E, Milford, was charged with residential entry, a level 6 felony; and domestic battery and theft, both class A misdemeanors. Smith was also charged with criminal mischief, a class B misdemeanor, in a second case.

Four additional criminal charges and a misdemeanor invasion of privacy case were all dismissed as part of a plea agreement.

Smith was sentenced in Kosciusko Superior Court Three on Tuesday, Jan. 4.

On Feb. 20, 2021, a Syracuse Police officer went to a location regarding a battery that occurred on Feb. 19, 2021. Upon arrival, the officer spoke with a woman about the incident.

According to court documents, the woman said she asked Smith to leave. When Smith acted like he was leaving, the woman attempted to shut the door behind him. However, Smith shoved the door back open and grabbed the woman by the throat, choking her and throwing her up against a wall. Smith then left the area with the woman’s cellphone.

On Feb. 22, 2021, a Syracuse Police officer responded to a criminal mischief report. The woman who reported being battered in the Feb. 19 incident said Smith had slashed a tire on her relative’s vehicle.

The woman told the officer that Smith had sent her several messages saying that if she didn’t come home and talk to him, he would slash all the tires on the vehicle.

During court proceedings, Defense Attorney John Barrett said Smith is remorseful and has accepted responsibility for his actions. He said Smith has been accepted into the county’s community corrections program and requested the court allow Smith to serve his executed time through it.

For residential entry, Kosciusko Superior Court Three Judge Chad Miner sentenced Smith to 2 1/2 years in the Kosciusko County Jail, with one year executed. Smith also received one year in KCJ for domestic battery, with six months executed. For the theft charge, Judge Miner gave Smith a two-month KCJ sentence. All three counts will be served concurrently, or at the same time.

In the criminal mischief case, Smith received a six-month KCJ sentence, with the entirety suspended on probation. The sentence will be served consecutively to Smith’s residential entry case.

In total, Smith received a three-year sentence, with one year executed and two years on probation. Smith can serve the executed portion through the county’s work release or community corrections programs.

As a term of his probation, Smith must have no contact with the woman involved in these incidents. A separate restitution hearing regarding financial losses the woman suffered in the residential entry case is scheduled for Feb. 15.

Smith’s cash bond in the criminal mischief case will be used to pay $230 in restitution for the slashed tire.