Lake County Courts

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Updated: January 26, 2012 10:59PM

Probation sentence for Cedar Lake man

Lake Superior Court Judge Salvador Vasquez sentenced a Cedar Lake man to two years on probation for sexual misconduct with a minor.

Joel A. Walton, 30, admitted he began to wrestle with the 14-year-old girl at her Cedar Lake home on Jan. 11, 2011, then his actions became more sexual in nature. His plea agreement outlined a two-year sentence, which was suspended and ordered served on probation.

Walton had faced a maximum eight-year sentence on the original charge, which was dismissed along with charges of sexual battery, criminal confinement and misdemeanor battery.

Walton is not required to register as a sexual offender.

18-months for
multiple offenses

Lake Superior Court Judge Salvador Vasquez sentenced an East Chicago man to 18 months in prison, followed by three years in an alternative sentencing program for battery by body waste, drunken driving and possession of a controlled substance.

Jaime Nicolas Garcia, 27, admitted he had ecstasy in his possession when he was pulled over Nov. 4, 2009, in his car in a grocery store parking lot in the 4700 block of Indianapolis Boulevard in East Chicago.

While Garcia was on bond in that case, he was pulled over by St. John police on April 3 for drunken driving in the 9300 block of Patterson. Garcia was uncooperative with the officer and spit on him. Garcia had a prior operating while intoxicated conviction in Tippecanoe County.

He had faced a maximum 20-year sentence on the drug case and three years in the drunken driving case.