MARSHALL COUNTY — Marshall County Prosecutor Nelson Chipman announced today Tuesday, Oct. 2, the apparent conclusion of the cases for which his office was appointed special prosecutor for Kosciusko County. The original appointment dates back to 2015.

Chipman emphasized the three persons indicted by a Kosciusko grand jury in January 2016 have felony convictions and are now serving or have completed their sentences.

“Former Sheriff Aaron Rovenstine has served his sentence and was successfully discharged from probation, after Special Judge Steve Bowers rejected on Friday, Sept. 28, Rovenstine’s request for alternate misdemeanor sentencing. Kevin Bronson is currently serving his sentence in the Indiana Department of Corrections after violating community corrections. And former college professor Mark Soto continues to serve his sentence following jury verdicts of guilt that were affirmed by the Indiana Court of Appeals in its decision announced this past Monday, October 1.”

Chipman noted a fourth case is awaiting a decision by a different special prosecutor appointed to review the matter.

The court docket on the Rovenstine case reveals May 7, 2018, Rovenstine’s Indianapolis attorneys filed a motion for alternate misdemeanor sentencing, to which the state of Indiana filed an objection. The matter was set for a July 5 hearing. On May 21, the Kosciusko County Probation Department filed its request to discharge the defendant as having successfully completed the terms of his probation, including community service time. The only term of his sentence pending was completion of the Victim Offender Reconciliation Program administered in Elkhart County, and which would put Rovenstine together with his targeted victim, Detective Paul Heaton of the Warsaw Police Department. The completion of that term of his sentence was still pending at the time of the July 5 hearing.

In the interest of judicial economy, the parties agreed to hold the July 5 hearing by presenting evidence and making arguments to Special Judge Bowers. The judge held his decision under advisement until the VORP process could be completed. On Sept. 24, the VORP filed its final report. On Sept. 26, Rovenstine’s lawyers filed their motion for a ruling on the previously filed petition for alternate misdemeanor sentencing. Late Friday afternoon, Sept. 28, Bowers issued an 11-page opinion supporting his decision. (A copy can be found here.)

“As you would expect, Chief Deputy Prosecutor Tami Napier and Deputy Prosecutor Matt Sarber, and I are pleased with Judge Bowers decision, and particularly the intricate bases of how he reached that decision. I urge the public to give Judge Bowers’ opinion a good read,” said Chipman.

“And by pure coincidence, and totally unexpected, we were notified yesterday, Oct. 1, of the Court of Appeals decision to affirm Mark Soto’s felony convictions after a trial by jury. That decision likewise deserves to be read by the good people of Kosciusko County.” (A copy of that decision can be found here.)

“I cannot over emphasize my final point, and that is the importance of informing the public of these final court proceedings. I, along with my trial deputies, are keenly aware of how this process and the allegations made after an extensive grand jury investigation rocked the Warsaw and Kosciusko County community — and particularly various law enforcement agencies. This was by no means a pleasant task, and I regret the divisive strain that was put on relationships throughout the county. But it was essential for the rule of law and the good of all.

“I wish I could once again personally thank the citizens that served on the grand jury and the petit jury in the Soto trial. Their courage to return indictments and guilty verdicts was a source of inspiration to us all. The risks taken to pursue these allegations to conclusion have been validated. Justice has been served. The people have spoken, and will speak again through the election of a new sheriff. We thank you all for the opportunity to have served,” concluded Chipman.