Wells Superior Court
Criminal Cases
Trey A. Mettler, 29, Bluffton, entered a plea of not guilty for two counts of failure to register as a sex offender, a Level 5 Felony. In late January, Mettler was sentenced to 548 days to the Indiana Department of Corrections with all time suspended and one year of probation for the same charge. A petition to revoke the suspended sentence was filed on Aug. 1. A status hearing for this case is scheduled for 8:30 a.m. on Sept. 28 in the Wells Superior Court.
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Jacob Bowman, Bluffton, appeared in the Wells Superior Court for an initial hearing Thursday on four charges: intimidation: communicated because of the victim’s occupation, a Level 6 Felony, resisting law enforcement, a Class A Misdemeanor, and public intoxication and disorderly conduct, both Class B Misdemeanors. Judge Andrew Antrim released Bowman on his own recognizance and ordered him to pay $100 into the public defender fund so long as he is not incarcerated. A status hearing is scheduled for 9 a.m. on Sept. 25 in the Wells Superior Court.
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Destinie Puckett, 21, Bluffton, was sentenced to 60 days at the Wells County Jail with all but 6 days suspended and 359 days of probation. Puckett pleaded guilty to operating a vehicle with a schedule I or II controlled substance in the blood, a Class C Misdemeanor. One charge for possession of methamphetamine, a Level 6 Felony, and one charge for possession of paraphernalia, a Class B Misdemeanor, were dismissed as part of the plea agreement. Pucket was also ordered to pay $749.50 in court costs and filing fees.
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Jason Scott, 25, Fort Wayne, was sentenced to 180 days at the Wells County Jail with all but 2 days suspended for possession of marijuana, a Class A Misdemeanor, and 363 days of probation. Concurrently with this count, Scott was also sentenced to 60 days at the Wells County Jail with all but 2 days suspended and 363 days of probation. Scott pleaded guilty to operating a vehicle with a schedule I or II controlled substance, a Class C Misdemeanor. Scott was also ordered to pay $749.50 in court costs and filing fees.
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Andrew M Castaneda, 24, Bluffton, was sentenced to 180 days at the Wells County Jail with all but 4 days suspended and 361 days of probation. Castaneda pleaded guilty to possession of marijuana, a Class A Misdemeanor, and was also ordered to pay $749.50 in court costs and filing fees.
Wells Circuit Court
Criminal Cases
Nichole Colwell, 35, Bluffton, pleaded guilty to domestic battery where the defendant has previously been convicted, a Level 5 Felony. In a separate case, Colwell also pleaded guilty to invasion of privacy – defendant has a prior conviction under this section, a Level 6 Felony. Colwell is scheduled to be sentenced at 1 p.m. on Sept. 6 in the Wells Circuit Court.
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Manuel Antonio Alba Jr, Warren, appeared for a pretrial conference for child solicitation, a Level 4 Felony. Alba Jr. ‘s attorney, Robert Scremin, commented that he was hopeful a plea deal could be worked out. The state agreed. An additional pretrial conference was set for the case for 2 p.m. on Sept. 29 in the Wells Circuit Court.
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Isaac West, 41, Bluffton, appeared for a probation violation hearing Wednesday morning related to a 2014 burglary case. West admitted to the violation and confirmed he tested positive for methamphetamine on June 1, 2, and 5, and possessed the drug on May 30. Vicki Cale with the Wells County Probation Department advocated for West during the hearing. Cale told the court West admitted to relapsing after probation was downgraded to low risk and he felt he had less accountability. Cale suggested an agreement which would order additional supervision in the form of daily calls for potential drug tests and additional counseling. Judge Kenton Kiracofe noted West was very lucky to have her support and approved the agreement.
West was originally sentenced to 10 years in prison following his pleas of guilty to five counts of burglary and to one count of theft. He was charged with stealing a number of items from an apartment and apartment storage units at Spring Wayne Apartments between Aug. 31 and Oct. 12, 2014.
