Porter County courts round-up

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Updated: March 4, 2012 8:18AM

Portage

Fake-pot user faces neglect charge

Although smoking synthetic marijuana meant no drug charges against a Portage woman, doing it in front of a two-year-old in her care could mean up to three years in prison.

Mandi Howerton, 31, has been charged in Porter County Superior Court with Class D felony neglect of a dependent and misdemeanor possession of paraphernalia.

Court records state that police were at her home Jan. 26 and smelled the synthetic marijuana and found packets of it. Officers also found a warm pipe under a couch cushion Howerton sat on, some copper meshing and a burnt spoon in the home, and she admitted she smoked in front of the child.

She was not listed on the Porter County Jail automated system.

Valparaiso

Illinois woman took credit cards

A Markham, Ill., woman has been charged in Porter County Superior Court in two cases of purses taken from vehicles in Porter County on Aug. 12.

Shaina D. Sims, 26, has been charged with four Class D felonies for the crimes, two of theft and two of fraud for using credit cards in the purses to purchase electronics in Valparaiso.

One theft happened at Courts of Indiana sports facility, 127 E. U.S. 6, and the owner came out about 3 p.m. to find her driver’s window smashed and the purse missing. The other theft happened at a cemetery, and the owner noticed a burgundy vehicle passing her car slowly while the victim visited her mother’s grave.

Police were able to get video of Sims, her car with Illinois plates and another woman at the Valparaiso Target store, where she and another allegedly tried to buy iPads with the first victim’s cards, then returned and spent $888 with the other victim’s cards.

There was no video at Best Buy, where they spent more than $600 with the first woman’s cards.

She was not listed on the Porter County Jail automated system, but bond is set at $2,500.

Porter County

Knox man tried bribe to pass exam

A Knox man faces up to eight years in prison for attempting to get his truck driver’s license by bribing the examiner, according to Porter County Superior Court records.

Emmanuel Tepes, 25, took the test at Pro Safe CDL on U.S. 6 and Juniper Road on Jan. 24 but failed, court records indicate.

When Tepes asked if there was anything else he could do, the examiner said classes there were full and gave Tepes possible other sites for more training.

Tepes returned Jan. 26 and asked about taking the test “off the charts” and “flexible,” and the examiner recorded it on his cell phone and set a Jan. 27 date for the exam.

Indiana State Police wired the examiner for sound and recorded Tepes offering the $1,000 not to just take the test again but to pass it, court records state.

He was not listed on the Porter County Jail automated system, but bond is set for $2,000.