Warsaw Man Sentenced On Trafficking Charges
WARSAW — A Warsaw man was sentenced in Kosciusko Circuit Court Monday, Oct. 29, for his part in allegedly assisting in an attempt to smuggle items into the Kosciusko County Jail for another inmate.
Nicholas Jay Silva, 18, 611 N. Park Ave., Warsaw, pleaded guilty to two counts of conspiracy to commit trafficking with an inmate, level 5 felonies.
According to the affidavit of probable cause, on June 12, a Kosciusko County Court security officer escorted inmate Silva to Superior Court 3 for a hearing. The officer observed a female courtroom visitor throw an object to Silva, who was sitting in the jury box.
The officer went to the jury box and retrieved a plastic bag wrapped in electrical tape from the seat where Silva was sitting. The bag contained a cell phone, white earbuds, a cell phone charger, two packages of rolling paper, marijuana and 10 pills identified as Alprazolam, a schedule IV controlled substance.
A Kosciusko County Sheriff’s officer spoke with the female, who admitted she brought the cell phone, pills and marijuana into the jail for her son, who was also an inmate at the Kosciusko County Jail. Silva was then supposed to deliver the items to the other inmate.
Officers obtained copies of a phone call made from the Kosciusko County Jail by the other inmate on June 11. In the phone call, the female states she is getting the items around. The inmate tells her to toss the items to a “young Mexican kid.” The inmate advises that Silva will be sitting in the jury box near her. The female is told when to arrive at the Kosciusko County Justice Building.
In court this morning, Silva’s lawyer, Joseph Sobek, told Judge Michael Reed that Silva is “a young man who is trying to find his way.” Sobek said Silva has had a chance to get clean and sober while incarcerated and pointed out that Silva has started taking GED classes.
Silva received a sentence of two years in the Kosciusko County Jail for each charge. Reed ordered the sentences to be served concurrently, meaning at the same time. The sentences received in this case were ordered to be served consecutive to sentences imposed in other cases. Reed stated he would have no objection to the sentence being served through the Work Release Program, provided Silva is qualified and remains qualified.