By Liz Shepherd
InkFreeNews

Tarah Renae Prater

WARSAW — A Warsaw woman will avoid serving a six-year sentence through prison after dealing methamphetamine to an undercover officer.

Tarah Renae Prater, 35, 653 Heritage Lane, Warsaw, was charged with dealing methamphetamine, a level 4 felony. A methamphetamine possession charge, as well as a drug possession case, were both dismissed as part of a plea agreement.

Prater was sentenced in Kosciusko Circuit Court on Monday, Sept. 13.

On April 20, a Warsaw Police officer with the NET43 Drug Task Force contacted Prater by phone and asked if he could purchase an “eight ball” (3.5 grams) of methamphetamine.

According to court documents, Prater agreed to sell the methamphetamine in exchange for $120 and planned to meet the officer at a gas station.

When the officer arrived at the gas station and approached the driver’s side of her vehicle, Prater recognized him as a police officer. She removed two plastic bags containing methamphetamine from her bra.

The combined weight of the methamphetamine in the two bags was between 5 and 10 grams.

During court proceedings, Defense Attorney Travis Neff said Prater was very quick to own responsibility for her actions and that she has the tools to succeed in life.

“I apologize for my actions,” said Prater. “I’ve learned from my past mistakes.”

For dealing methamphetamine, Kosciusko Circuit Court Judge Michael Reed sentenced Prater to six years in the Indiana Department of Corrections. The first four years of the sentence can be served through the county’s work release center or at the Kosciusko County Jail. The last two years of Prater’s sentence was suspended on probation.