By Liz Adkins
InkFreeNews

Vincent Michael Carnegie

WARSAW — A Mentone man will serve three years in prison for possessing a destructive device.

Vincent Michael Carnegie, 34, 4961 S. Mallard Road, Mentone, was charged with possession of a destructive device, a level 5 felony. Two additional criminal charges were dismissed as part of a plea agreement.

Carnegie was sentenced in Kosciusko Circuit Court on Monday, July 8.

Kosciusko Circuit Court Judge Michael Reed sentenced Carnegie to three years in the Indiana Department of Correction. He has 213 days of jail time credit.

This sentence will be served back-to-back to two additional criminal cases Carnegie has.

At sentencing, Prosecutor Brad Voelz said an x-ray on the device showed it contained thumbtacks, wires, staples, and a spent bullet. He described the device Carnegie possessed as “extremely dangerous.”

“Combined with Vincent’s criminal history, I believe this case deserves prison time,” said Voelz.

Defense Attorney John Barrett said Carnegie does have an extensive criminal history, but noted Carnegie did not have plans to intentionally use the device to harm anyone. He said Carnegie had made similar devices over the last 15 years as a firework.

Carnegie said since he lived in the country, he and others would burn tires, throwing cans and devices into the burn piles. He also said he had been to prison seven times and noted there was no structure for rehabilitation.

“Nobody in my neighborhood packed a firework with stuff like that,” said Reed.

On Dec. 8, 2023, a Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Office deputy responded to a domestic incident. Initial reports stated Carnegie fired a firearm.

Upon arrival at the scene, officers spoke with Carnegie and requested consent to search a shed he lived in. Carnegie told officers there was methamphetamine in the shed that didn’t belong to him and he refused the search.

Officers obtained a search warrant for the shed. While searching a mini-refrigerator in the shed, officers found an explosive device wrapped in silver duct tape with a fuse protruding from the top. Carnegie acknowledged possessing the device. Officers immediately left the shed and contacted the Elkhart City Police Bomb disposal unit.

In an x-ray, law enforcement discovered the device contained shrapnel and various pieces of metal. The bomb unit deemed the device destructive and unstable. As the device was being dismantled, it exploded.