Wells Superior Court
Criminal Cases
Hector L. Muñoz Carattini, 60, Bluffton, pleaded guilty to resisting law enforcement and operating a vehicle while intoxicated endangering a person, both Class A misdemeanors.
Sentencing set for 1 p.m. Jan. 20.
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Michael T. McGuire, 55, Huntington, pleaded guilty to theft, a level 6 felony.
Sentenced to a year in prison. Credited for 312 days spent in confinement awaiting disposition of his case.
Assessed court costs of $185.
As part of a plea agreement, one count of identity deception, a Level 6 felony, was dismissed.
McGuire was charged with stealing a bottle of Vodka from the North Main Street Save-On Liquor store June 26. He was apprehended about three blocks from the store by a Bluffton police officer. Reportedly he first told the officer his name was Thomas McGuire, but then later admitted his name was Michael McGuire, that he had taken the bottle and he asked the officer to return it to the store.
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Preliminary plea of not guilty entered for Brian L. Shepherd, 41, Fort Wayne, charged with possession of marijuana, a Class B misdemeanor; possession of drug paraphernalia, a Class C misdemeanor; violation of conditional driving permission, a Class C misdemeanor; operating a motor vehicle without insurance, a Class A infraction; and operating a motor vehicle with an expired license plate, a Class C infraction.
On Oct. 28, while patrolling North Main Street, a Bluffton police officer noticed that a Ford Mustang ahead of his patrol car had a license plate that had expired two weeks earlier. He pulled the Mustang over in the 600 block of North Main Street.
Upon speaking with the driver, identified as Shepherd, the officer learned he had conditional driving privileges. Shepherd reportedly told the officer that he was driving from Fort Wayne to Bluffton to see a girl — an activity not listed in the conditions of his conditional driving privileges.
The officer also noticed that there was a heavy scent emitting from the vehicle that might be an attempt by Shepherd to cover the odor of something illegal. Shepherd allegedly admitted to a second officer on scene that there might be marijuana in the Mustang.
A search of the vehicle by officers reportedly resulted in the discovery of a “one hitter,” a slang term for a small pipe that contains just enough marijuana to permit one smoke. The device reportedly had a small of marijuana inside it.
Infractions
Michael Barnett, 75, rural Bluffton; operating a motor vehicle without insurance and with an expired license plate, Ind. 1 at 150N.
Rachel L. Graham, 31, Bluffton; no valid driver’s license in her possession and operating a motor vehicle without insurance, Main Street at Dustman Road.
Civil Cases
Writ of possession granted to Skyline Village Apartments, Markle, against tenant Edward Thompson.
Complaint for possession dismissed by Skyline Village Apartments, Markle, for tenants Jodyice Brown and Matthew Brown.
Judgment in a complaint for payment case entered for defendant Deb Smith, Ossian, against plaintiff Joan Kelly, Bluffton.
Complaint for possession and for non-payment of rent totaling $1,050 filed by Chance Simmons, Montpelier, against Roy Morris and Peggy Herbert, Silo Farms mobile home park.
Complaint for possession filed by House Investments Management LLC as managing agent for Pine Grove Apartments, Bluffton, against tenants: Carter A. Mealer and Brooke L. McClelland; Ashley C. Heckman, Bluffton.
Complaint for payment of $762.38 filed by Stucky, Lauer & Young, Fort Wayne, against Andrew J. Grace, Bluffton.
Complaint for payment of $1,724.23 filed by Total Recovery Services Inc., Fort Wayne, against Julia A. Bischoff, Bluffton.
Complaint for payment of $246 and for writ of possession filed by Maple Grove Estates mobile home park against tenant Nathanael Matthew Smith.
Petition for dissolution filed in the marriage of Barnaby M. Tinsley, rural Avilla, and Gina L. Tinsley, Bluffton.
Complaint for possession and for non-payment of rent totaling $546 filed by BCG Capital LLC, Bluffton, against Cassie Snay, Bluffton.
Petition for dissolution filed in the marriage of Thomas J. Jarrett, Bluffton, and Lisa R. Evans, Bluffton.
Complaint for payment of $7,416.53 filed by Credit Acceptance Corp., Schaumburg, Ill., against Shyann Schaff, Marion.
Marriage of Cynthia Juanita Fiechter and Dennis Samuel Fiechter dissolved. Her former name of McDowell restored to her.
Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles ordered to issue a replacement vehicle title for a 1931 Henderson KJ motorcycle to Charles L. Parr, rural Markle.
Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles ordered to issue a replacement title for a 2015 Ford T-350 transit van to Jerica Bolinger, rural Bluffton.
Wells Circuit Court
Criminal Cases
Preliminary plea of not guilty entered for Thomas M. Meyer, 35, Bluffton, charged with battery resulting in bodily injury to a person under the age of 14, a Level 5 felony. Bond continued at $60,000. Jeffrey Stineburg appointed public defender.
Meyer is charged with punching a female child in the jaw after allegedly losing his temper during a disciplinary issue.
Civil Cases
Petition for change of name filed by Brody Allen Charles Clifford, 25, Bluffton, seeking to change his name to Brody Allen Charles Couch.
Petition for dissolution filed in the marriage of Jared Herber, Bluffton, and Erin Herber, Bluffton.
Petition for dissolution filed in the marriage of Angela M. Arnold, Bluffton, and Bryon L. Arnold, Bluffton.
Complaint for payment of $1,911.33 filed by Midland Credit Management Louisville, Ky., against Amber Clark, Bluffton.
