Staff Report

Christian Michael Renschler

SILVER LAKE — A Warsaw man was arrested after officers discovered he was in possession of stolen firearms.

Christian Michael Renschler, 29, 1830 Hepler Drive, Warsaw, is charged with unlawful possession of a firearm by a serious violent felon, a level 4 felony; possession of methamphetamine with enhancing circumstances, a level 5 felony; and possession of paraphernalia, a class C misdemeanor.

On Nov. 29, a Wabash County Sheriff’s Office deputy met with an informant regarding a recent burglary in Fulton County. The deputy was informed that Renschler was a potential suspect in the burglary. Several firearms, ammunition, and power tools were stolen from a residence.

According to court documents, the deputy learned Renschler lived in Silver Lake and received further information about Renschler possessing several of the stolen items.

On Dec. 1, the informant provided the deputy with pictures Renschler sent of various firearms. The photos of the guns were then sent to the burglary victim, who positively identified the firearms as his.

On Dec. 2, an Indiana State Police detective obtained a search warrant for Renschler’s residence. During the search, officers found two firearms stolen from the residence in Fulton County. Officers also found two smoking pipes and a bag containing methamphetamine.

Renschler said he owned the residence but didn’t know how or when the stolen items got inside of his home. He also said he didn’t know where the methamphetamine came from.

Renschler is classified as a serious violent felon due to a burglary conviction in Allen County from September 2014. He also has a pending criminal case in Elkhart County for theft.

For this case, Renschler has already been arrested and released on his own recognizance. He has an initial hearing at 1 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 29, in Kosciusko Superior Court Three.