Staff Report

WARSAW — A Warsaw man received a hefty prison sentence in Kosciusko County Circuit Court Monday, June 14.

Demetrius Link

Demetrius Daniel Link, 36, 820 Wexford Place, Warsaw, was found guilty of dealing methamphetamine, a level 2 felony; dealing in methamphetamine, a level 3 felony; possession of methamphetamine, a level 4 felony; and possession of methamphetamine, a level 5 felony, at a jury trial last month.

Link asked that a mistrial be declared, with Judge Michael Reed responding, “There are no grounds for a mistrial.”

Link was arrested following two controlled purchases of methamphetamine conducted by the county’s NET43 drug enforcement team.

According to the affidavit of probable cause, in December 2019, NET43 conducted a controlled purchase of methamphetamine from a residence in Warsaw.

The residence at that time belonged to Brandon Warren and his spouse. An informant spoke directly to Warren to arrange the purchase. The informant was provided with NET43 funds for the purchase and was outfitted with an audio/video recording device. 

When the informant arrived at the residence, a man, later identified as Link, exited the residence with a green plastic cup and gave the cup to the informant in exchange for the NET43 documented funds.

Immediately after the controlled purchase, the informant met with law enforcement from the Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Office and provided the green cup. Inside the cup were two plastic bags containing methamphetamine, weighing 9.2 grams combined.

The informant said the deal was arranged with Warren via phone and said Warren often uses other individuals to deliver methamphetamine. 

In January 2020, NET43 conducted another controlled purchase of methamphetamine from Warren’s residence. The exchange was again arranged with Warren by phone prior to the controlled purchase.

This time Link exited Warren’s residence carrying a red plastic cup, which he gave the informant in exchange for money.

Immediately after the exchange, the informant gave the cup to a KCSO officer. The cup contained 11.36 grams of methamphetamine.  

“I’m a good person,” Link said in court Monday. “I’m not a criminal.”

“You are a criminal,” Reed replied. “You’ve been convicted. You’re being sentenced – not for being a bad person but for criminal activity. Good people do bad things.”

Reed sentenced Link to 17 1/2 years in prison for the level 2 charge of dealing methamphetamine.

For the level 3 dealing charge, Link was sentenced to nine years at IDOC, with the sentences ordered to be served concurrently.

Reed said the possession charges merge into the dealing charges, so no additional time was given for those charges.

Link was given 27 days of jail time credit.

He stated he would like to file an appeal.