Andrew J. Thomas

WARSAW — An Elkhart man who was arrested in January for breaking into a house and sleeping on the couch was sentenced today, Nov. 9, in Kosciusko Circuit Court.

Andrew J. Thomas, 28, 2250 Cassopolis St., Elkhart, was sentenced on count I residential entry and count II theft, both level 6 felonies.

According to the affidavit of probable cause filed by the Kosciusko Sheriff’s Department, on Jan. 10, officers were informed that a male was passed out on a homeowner’s porch and another male was passed out in a vehicle in her driveway. When an officer arrived at the residence, he saw a black Chevrolet Impala in the driveway with a male still in the passenger seat.

The affidavit of probable cause states that the woman went to a phone booth to call police to inform them about the two men at the home. When the woman returned from making the phone call, the male was no longer on her porch. She requested officers to check the residence to see if the male was inside.

The officers found a male, later identified as Thomas, inside the home sleeping on the couch. The officer searched Thomas and found a plastic bag containing marijuana and a .38 caliber revolver. The gun had been reported stolen from Cass County, Mich., in Nov. 17, 2016.

Officers spoke with a neighbor who advised she had spoken with the two males. They had stated they had run out of gas and had called a friend and were waiting for them to come with gasoline.

Thomas told the court that he was currently seeking treatment for substance abuse, the underlying problem to his criminal history.

Judge Michael Reed sentenced Thomas to one year at the Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Department for each count, to be served concurrently. Thomas will receive 98 days of jail time credit.