By Liz Shepherd
InkFreeNews

Torri Shyenne Calland

WARSAW — A Milford woman will serve a 5 1/2 year sentence locally on three criminal cases.

In the first case, Torri Shyenne Calland, 28, 427 E. 1150N Lot 20, Milford, was charged with possession of methamphetamine, a level 6 felony. She was charged with dealing a controlled substance, a level 5 felony; and theft, a level 6 felony, in a second case. Calland was also sentenced on a Level 6 residential entry charge in a third case. Eight additional criminal charges were dismissed in plea agreements.

Calland was sentenced on the first two cases in Kosciusko Circuit Court, and the third case in Kosciusko Superior Court Two, on Tuesday, Jan. 18.

On Jan. 3, 2020, a Syracuse Police officer pulled over a blue Mazda because its license plate number returned to a Green Pontiac Grand Am. Calland, who was driving the Mazda, said she had just bought the vehicle and produced a title that was signed in August 2019. A K9 unit at the scene alerted police to illegal drugs in the vehicle.

While searching the vehicle, officers found 3.5 grams of methamphetamine.

On March 5, 2020, a Milford Police officer responded to a report of a disabled vehicle. The reporting person said the vehicle’s driver, Calland, requested police not be called because the vehicle’s owners did not know where the vehicle was. Officers later contacted the vehicle’s owners, who said their vehicle was stolen overnight.

According to court documents, the officer noticed Calland had unsteady balance and difficulty concentrating. Due to this behavior, the Milford officer requested a K9 unit. The K9 unit alerted police to illegal drugs in the vehicle.

While searching the stolen vehicle, officers found 35 grams of synthetic marijuana and 21 pills identified as controlled substances. Upon searching Calland’s person, officers found several plastic bags containing synthetic marijuana and $291 in small bills. The items appeared to be packaged for sale or distribution.

Officers later interviewed the stolen vehicle’s owners. They said they allowed Calland to drive the vehicle earlier on March 4, 2020; however, she did not return the vehicle when they asked her to. Calland did eventually return the vehicle later on March 4, 2020, and the owners told her she would not be allowed to use the vehicle again.

When the owners went to bed, at some point during the night, Calland entered their home without permission, took the keys to their vehicle, and left with the vehicle.

Around 3 a.m. Dec. 19, 2020, a Syracuse Police officer responded to a report of an unwanted subject. Upon arrival, the officer saw Calland walking toward his vehicle while wearing no clothing. A homeowner told the officer he was woken up by a noise and yelling coming from his bathroom.

When the homeowner went to check on the sound, he saw Calland laying completely nude in his bathtub. When the homeowner said he was going to contact law enforcement, Calland crawled out of the home and started walking around a yard.

Calland admitted to being under the influence of a substance and was taken to a local hospital for treatment. The temperature on the early morning of Dec. 19, 2020, was in the low 30s. According to the National Weather Service, frostbite can set in within 10 minutes of exposure at that temperature. In addition, humans can suffer from hypothermia due to exposure to low temperatures for an extended period of time.

During court proceedings in Kosciusko Circuit Court, Defense Attorney Austin Rovenstine said Calland received a 1 1/2 year sentence on probation in Kosciusko Superior Court Two for residential entry.

Rovenstine noted the cases were Calland’s first felony offenses and asked the court to consider a local sentence.

Calland told Kosciusko Circuit Court Judge Michael Reed that the last two years were “not good” and elaborated on the treatment and counseling she’s done.

“I’m working to do better,” said Calland.

“You’re lucky you’re not dead and or hurt for the stuff you were doing,” said Judge Reed. “We all make mistakes but these are serious mistakes. Staying clean needs to be your number one priority. There is hope if you take the opportunity.”

For dealing in a controlled substance, Judge Reed sentenced Calland to three years in the Kosciusko County Jail. She also received a one-year jail sentence for theft. Both counts will be served concurrently, or at the same time. The final year of the three-year sentence was suspended on probation. Calland can also serve her executed sentence through the county’s work release program.

For meth possession, Calland received a one-year jail sentence, which was suspended on probation.

These two cases will be served consecutively to one another, as well as consecutively to the Kosciusko Superior Court Two residential entry case and a Whitley County methamphetamine possession case.

In total, including the Superior Two Case, Calland received a 5 1/2 year sentence, with two years executed and 3 1/2 years on probation.