By Liz Shepherd
InkFreeNews

David Charles Reed

WARSAW — A Syracuse man will serve 16 years in prison after dealing methamphetamine to a confidential informant.

David Charles Reed, 49, 9811 N. Majestic Way, Syracuse, was sentenced for two counts of dealing methamphetamine with enhancing circumstances, both level 3 felonies; unlawful possession of a firearm by a serious violent felon, a level 4 felony; unlawful possession of a syringe, a level 6 felony; possession of paraphernalia, a class C misdemeanor; and possession of methamphetamine with enhancing circumstances, a level 5 felony.

Reed was found guilty on the charges in an October 2021 bench trial. He was sentenced on Jan. 7, 2022, in Kosciusko Circuit Court.

In July 2020, the NET43 Drug Task Force was contacted by a confidential informant who said they could make a purchase of methamphetamine from Reed at his home. Investigators met with the informant and provided them with documented task force funds to purchase drugs.

According to court documents, the informant paid Reed $225 and Reed used a digital scale to weigh out methamphetamine. The informant said they saw several additional grams of methamphetamine, drug paraphernalia, and three firearms in Reed’s home.

The informant provided NET43 Drug Task Force with 3.9 grams of methamphetamine that they bought from Reed. The informant also said they saw Reed’s daughter, Kandace Ferguson, Syracuse, use methamphetamine in the home. Ferguson was sentenced in February 2021 for methamphetamine and paraphernalia possession. She received a one-year local sentence.

Officers obtained a search warrant for Reed’s home and executed it on July 28, 2020. While searching Reed’s home, officers found ammunition, methamphetamine, firearms, $5,344 in cash, and drug paraphernalia.

Reed is classified as a serious violent felon, having been convicted of dealing methamphetamine in November 2020. At the time of this case, Reed was also out on bond for a methamphetamine dealing case.

During court proceedings, Defense Attorney James Ayers argued that there was no specific evidence showing that Reed had sold drugs to anybody. He noted that Reed’s hobby of fixing vehicles and frequent trips to Florida were connected to rumors about Reed dealing drugs and having a reputation for doing so.

Ayers said Reed used drugs as a method of self-medication due to poor health but never sold drugs to anyone. Reed was brought in for sentencing in a wheelchair.

“He was not out and about wheeling and dealing,” said Ayers.

Ayers asked the court to consider home detention or alternative placement for Reed to serve his sentence.

Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Matt Buehler said aggravating factors in Reed’s case included a substantial criminal history and previous violation of supervised release.

“He doesn’t have to accept responsibility,” said Buehler. “Instead, he blames (the informant), the system, and the court. He shows a tremendous lack of remorse.”

Special Judge Torrey Bauer agreed with the state’s presented aggravators and listed Reed’s poor health as a mitigator. He ruled that the aggravators in the case outweigh the mitigator.

For dealing methamphetamine, Judge Bauer sentenced Reed to 13 years in the Indiana Department of Correction, with eight years executed and five years suspended on probation. On the unlawful firearm possession charge, Reed received an eight-year DoC sentence. The methamphetamine dealing and firearm possession sentences will be served consecutively.

Reed also received a two-year DoC sentence for syringe possession and two months at DoC for paraphernalia possession. These two sentences will be served concurrently, or at the same time, as the dealing methamphetamine and firearm possession charges.

Judge Bauer said the second methamphetamine dealing charge and methamphetamine possession charge will merge into the first methamphetamine dealing charge, with no separate sentence being entered.

In total, Reed received a 21-year sentence, with 16 years to be served in prison and five years suspended on probation.

Reed has 538 days, or about 1.4 years, of jail time credit in this case.