By Liz Adkins
InkFreeNews
WARSAW — An Etna Green man will serve six years in prison for several criminal cases.
Bruce Edward Yeazel, 35, 101 N. Etna St. Apartment 43, Etna Green, was charged with dealing a narcotic drug, a level 4 felony; and two counts of theft, both level 6 felonies. Four additional criminal charges were all dismissed as part of a plea agreement.
Yeazel was sentenced in Kosciusko Circuit Court on Monday, May 20.
For dealing a narcotic drug, Kosciusko Circuit Court Judge Michael Reed sentenced Yeazel to six years in the Indiana Department of Correction, with four years executed and two years suspended on probation. Yeazel also received two-year DOC sentences for each theft charge, with both of the theft sentences to be served at the same time. The theft sentences will be served back-to-back to the drug dealing case.
In total, Yeazel received an eight-year sentence, with six years executed and two years on probation. He has 209 days of jail time credit plus good time credit and must also pay restitution to U-Haul and the NET 43 Drug Task Force.
Reed also recommended Yeazel for participation in Recovery While Incarcerated during the executed part of his sentence.
At sentencing, Defense Attorney Austin Rovenstine said he wanted to see Yeazel succeed and noted his criminal history was “fueled by substance abuse.” He told the court Yeazel had been accepted to Kosciusko County Community Corrections.
Yeazel apologized for his actions in court.
On Dec. 23, 2022, a Warsaw Police officer responded to a theft at Lowe’s. An employee said his personal Carhartt jacket and a pair of mechanic’s gloves were stolen from his work station.
According to court documents, surveillance footage showed Yeazel grabbing the jacket and placing it into a shopping cart on top of two boxed items from the store. Yeazel then went to the store’s return desk, where he returned the two boxed items that were never purchased and received a gift card with store credit.
Sometime in March 2023, NET 43 purchased 1.2 grams of a narcotic drug from Yeazel.
On June 12, 2023, a Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Office deputy went to 30 West Auto in Warsaw regarding an auto theft. An employee said Yeazel rented a U-Haul van and failed to return the vehicle to the business.
Yeazel has a prior theft conviction in Kosciusko County from October 2016.
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