Lake County Law and Order

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Updated: February 28, 2012 8:18AM

GRIFFITH

EC woman gets 18 months for arson

Lake Superior Court Judge Salvador Vasquez sentenced an East Chicago woman to 18 months for arson in a feud over a man.

Celena Marie Rosario will have to serve six months in Lake County Jail, followed by 12 months on probation. Rosario, 28, admitted she and co-defendant Betsy Reillo set fire to a 2006 Chevrolet Impala that belonged to Sharnetta Barnes by pouring gasoline inside and lighting it in the 1500 block of North Arbogast Street, Griffith. Barnes and one of Reillo’s friends were in a dispute over a man.

Flames damaged a nearby Suzuki motorcycle and a 1996 Oldsmobile Bravada belonging to other individuals.

Reillo, 31, of East Chicago, pleaded guilty to two counts of arson in exchange for a two year prison term, followed by three years on probation, plus $3,000 in restitution for the victims. Vasquez scheduled a Feb. 17 sentencing hearing for Reillo, who has a prior battery conviction.

East Chicago

Woman charged for belt-whipping boy

An East Chicago woman has been charged with neglect of a dependent and battery after she admitted she whipped her son with a belt after she became angry he hadn’t done his homework.

Candace Roberts, 23, of the 4000 block of Pulaski Street, admitted to a Child Protective Services caseworker that she struck the child with a belt. “She did not think anything of it,” the probable cause affidavit states.

The child had red marks on his lower right cheek, a bruise on his right cheek, redness below his right ear, and circular marks above his elbow and left shoulder. Investigators also documented 11 similar circular markings on his back that were dark red.

Roberts told police she woke up on Dec. 17 and discovered gifts ripped open and that someone had marked up the house. After discovering the children hadn’t done their homework, Roberts told police she woke up the kids to finish their work, became angry and whipped the boy. Afterward Roberts then got the child dressed and sent him to school.

The neglect charge is punishable by a maximum 20-year sentence, and the battery causing serious bodily injury is punishable by a maximum eight-year sentence.

Hammond

Four years for theft and check fraud

Lake Superior Court Judge Diane Ross Boswell sentenced a Hammond woman to four years for theft and check fraud.

Boswell ordered Jessica Marie Carlisle to serve the sentence in Lake County Community Corrections.

Carlisle, 21, admitted she and Emmanuel Mendez broke into a home on May 18, 2010, in the 3900 block of Grover Avenue, Hammond. The family was on vacation when they took a laptop computer, video game systems and games, and a camcorder bag containing numerous family videos. Carlisle also admitted she presented a fraudulent $1,028 check, which she cashed.

Mendez, 23, of Whiting, pleaded guilty to theft and check fraud and has a Feb. 3 sentencing hearing.

Griffith

TV, DVD player taken from home

Police are investigating a burglary in the 1400 block of North Wood Street in which a TV and Blu-ray player were taken between 4:30 and 9 p.m. Wednesday.