Edwardsburg man gets time served for larceny

CASSOPOLIS — An Edwardsburg man who broke into cars at Edwardsburg High School and later broke into a home in 2017 was given credit for time served Friday in Cass County Circuit Court. Joshua James Parker is currently serving a prison term for assault and other charges in Indiana.

Parker, 30, of Section Street in Edwardsburg, pleaded guilty to larceny from a motor vehicle and was sentenced to credit for 163 days served, $1,548 in fines and costs and $23 in restitution.

The incident occurred March 2, 2017 outside of Edwardsburg High School. He broke into cars and took a laptop, cash, an airsoft gun and other items. He was recognized by someone who gave his car a jump when his car died and police arrested him a short time later. The laptop, airsoft gun and most of the cash was recovered.

Parker also pleaded guilty to second-degree home invasion as a habitual offender and was sentenced to credit for 161 days served and $698 in fines and costs.

That incident occurred April 7, 2017 at a location on Pine Lake Street in Edwardsburg. The homeowner was outside planting trees and observed a car in the driveway and a door to the home open. The man cracked Parker’s windshield with a hammer as Parker fled from the scene. Parker actually called police himself and turned himself in.

Cass County Prosecutor Victor Fitz noted that Parker has a lengthy criminal record and continued committing crimes after these incidents. Fitz said the home invasion incident could have had a worse outcome for both Parker and his victim and called Parker’s reason for breaking into the home to steal food “flimsy.”

Parker apologized to everyone in both cases. “I want to put it all behind me,” he said. “I’m very tired of being incarcerated, I’m read to grow up and be a man.”

Cass County Circuit Court Judge Mark Herman said that if Parker is tired now of being in prison, he will be even more tired if he commits more crimes including more home invasions as he will be going to prison for more years. “If you’re tired now, you will be real tired if that happens,” he said.

Judge Herman said the plea agreement for credit for time served made sense since the total time Parker has spent in Indiana prisons exceeds the maximum sentence in the larceny from a motor vehicle case and the minimum sentence in the home invasion case.

“You have completed college courses in prison and say you are ready to be an adult,” the judge said. “I hope that’s true. You may lose 10, 15 or 20 years of your life if you’re not and you continue your criminal behavior.”

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