Staff Report

Corey Allen Brunson

Jaime Ann Benedict

WARSAW — Two people from Warsaw were arrested after allegedly stealing a vehicle from the Claypool area.

Corey Allen Brunson, 42, 114 S. Buffalo St., Warsaw, is charged with possession of methamphetamine and theft, both level 6 felonies; sentence enhancement possession of marijuana, a class A misdemeanor; possession of marijuana and sentence enhancement possession of paraphernalia, both class B misdemeanors; and possession of paraphernalia, a class C misdemeanor.

Jaime Ann Benedict, 44, 1402 Alpha St., Warsaw, is charged with auto theft, a level 6 felony.

On Nov. 6, a Claypool police officer received a report about a stolen 2011 Chevrolet Cruze. The vehicle’s owner said Benedict took his vehicle without permission.

According to court documents, on Nov. 10, the man said he contacted Benedict, who told him she would not return the vehicle.

A week later, the officer was at the Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Office when he received information that the stolen Chevrolet Cruze was recently parked near the Kosciusko County Justice Building. Benedict was in the justice building and spoke with the officer about the vehicle.

She said the vehicle was no longer in the immediate area as Brunson was in possession of the vehicle. Benedict contacted Brunson and asked him to bring the vehicle back to the justice building, which he did.

Upon speaking with officers, Brunson said he knew the vehicle was reported as stolen. While searching Brunson’s person, officers found a vape pen containing THC wax, drug paraphernalia and methamphetamine residue. In the stolen vehicle, officers found drug paraphernalia containing marijuana and a glass mason jar containing eight THC wax cartridges.

Brunson has prior convictions for marijuana and paraphernalia possession in Kosciusko County, with the convictions entered in April.

For this case, Brunson has an initial hearing at 8:15 a.m. Thursday, Dec. 29, in Kosciusko Circuit Court.

Benedict has a status conference at 8:30 a.m. Jan. 5, in Kosciusko Superior Court One.