Staff Report

Preston Michael West

WARSAW — A Pierceton man was arrested for allegedly helping a woman leave the Kosciusko County Work Release center.

Preston Michael West, 34, 4539 S. 750E, Pierceton, is charged with assisting a criminal, a class A misdemeanor.

On May 1, 2024, the Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Office was alerted to a report of an inmate not returning to the Kosciusko County Work Release center. The inmate was identified as Ashly D. Johnson.

According to court documents, officers learned Johnson signed out of work release while in possession of a basket full of clothes. She was seen getting into a vehicle belonging to West. A relative of Johnson’s told law enforcement she believed Johnson would not be returning to work release.

The relative also said she contacted West, who told her he was out looking for Johnson. Officers went to West’s residence and found the suspect vehicle that picked up Johnson from work release at the residence. The laundry basket Johnson had been in possession of was located inside the vehicle. West was not home at that time.

Law enforcement determined Johnson and West were in a relationship at the time of this incident. Johnson was scheduled to be released from work release on June 9, 2024.

Officers spoke with West on May 2, 2024. He said he and Johnson had an argument about Johnson not returning to work release. West said Johnson left his residence and that he followed her in his vehicle. He picked her up in his vehicle, but said Johnson jumped out of his vehicle while he was driving.

On May 3, 2024, officers searched West’s residence and found Johnson’s laundry basket inside the home.

West’s cellphone was collected on May 9, 2024, after he was arrested for allegedly harboring a non-immunized dog.

Data collected from the phone showed a picture of Johnson with the dog on May 3, 2024. West had told officers he had not seen Johnson since she left his home on May 1, 2024.

On June 11, 2024, officers received a tip about Johnson being dropped off at a relative’s home. However, Johnson fled from the home prior to officers’ arrival.

On June 12, 2024, a person told the Kosciusko County Probation Department that Johnson had contacted her on June 11, 2024. Johnson asked her for a ride to a house, where she was later picked up by West. Officers received information on the vehicle Johnson was picked up in. They found the vehicle in Warsaw and pulled it over.

Johnson was a passenger in the vehicle at the time.

West has already been arrested and released on bond.

Johnson was sentenced in December 2024 to three years in prison for the incident.