By Leah Sander
InkFreeNews

WARSAW — A Pierceton man has been sentenced to eight years in the Indiana Department of Correction on three felony charges.

Edward Earl Smith Jr., 45, Pierceton, was charged with dealing a narcotic drug, a Level 5 felony; and failure to appear, a Level 6 felony, in one criminal case. In another case, he was charged with carrying a handgun as a felon, a Level 5 felony. Seven other charges in the first case and four other charges in the second were dismissed as part of a plea agreement.

Edward Earl Smith Jr.

Smith was sentenced in both cases in Kosciusko Circuit Court on Monday, Jan. 31.

Regarding the first case, on Feb. 7, 2020, an officer conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle Smith was driving in North Webster. A K-9 alerted to illegal drugs in the vehicle.

Inside a bag in the vehicle, officers found 32 purple pills and one blue pill identified as KADIAN 30mg and KADIAN 50mg, respectively, which contain morphine. Officers also found methamphetamine, marijuana, a cut straw, plastic bags and a pill known as Orphenadrine Citrate.

In the second case, on May 3, 2021, officers went to serve a warrant to Smith at his residence in Pierceton. Smith fled on foot from the officers before he was apprehended.

Officers found methamphetamine in Smith’s shirt pocket and a gun that he apparently discarded while fleeing police.

In the first case, Kosciusko Circuit Court Judge Michael Reed sentenced Smith to three years in the DOC for dealing a narcotic drug and one year for failure to appear. In the second, he sentenced him to four years for carrying a handgun as a felon. The sentences are to run consecutively.

Reed also gave Smith 350 days of jail time credit for time spent in the Kosciusko County Jail and agreed to allow Smith to participate in Recovery While Incarcerated while serving his sentence.

If Smith does well in RWI, Reed might lighten his sentence.

Before Smith was sentenced, he gave a statement expressing remorse and stating that he wants to be there for his significant other and children.

“At 45 years old, I’m at the point where it’s now or never,” he said regarding making a lifestyle change.

“I couldn’t say it any better,” said Reed in response. “I just hope it’s true.”