Last Updated on May 11, 2023 by Cass County Prosecuting Attorney Noah Schafer
LOGANSPORT – Noah Schafer, the Cass County Prosecuting Attorney, announced that Jaime Torres-Cano, of Logansport, was convicted May 8, 2023 of the felony offenses of possession of methamphetamine, operating a vehicle while intoxicated, and resisting law enforcement by fleeing in a vehicle. The charges arose out of an encounter with the police in June of 2022 in which the defendant fled from Officer Branson Eber after committing several infractions, attempting to evade the officer.
During the jury trial which occurred in Circuit Court, the jury heard evidence that upon apprehension, the defendant was belligerent and obscene, cursing officers and threatening them. Officers also testified that the defendant smelled of alcohol, staggered when exiting his vehicle, and exhibited other signs of intoxication. Officer Eber also testified that the defendant failed one of the standard field sobriety tests that he was given, before declining to take any further tests. Upon transport to the jail, the defendant was discovered to have methamphetamine in his possession wrapped up in a dollar bill.
Taking the stand in his own defense, the defendant acknowledged that he refused to stop when he saw Officer Eber’s lights and sirens, but claimed he only did so because he had to use the bathroom. When questioned about the methamphetamine on his person, the defendant denied any knowledge about how it came to be there, acknowledging that it could have been magic. In closing arguments, prosecutors Lisa Kempf and Noah Schafer pointed out that the defendant was simply an angry drunk who was caught red-handed, and invited the jury to discount his fabrications and look at the evidence. The jury agreed, taking less than ten minutes to reach a verdict and convicting the defendant of all charges.
Following the verdict, the defendant admitted his prior conviction for drunk driving, which elevated the level of that offense to a felony. Judge Stephen Kitts has scheduled the matter for sentencing on June 1, 2023. Schafer said of the case, “We’re grateful for the efforts of the Logansport Police Department, and the officers of the Cass County Jail. Dealing with angry drunks and drug users is just one of the hazards they face in their battle to keep our streets safe. They deserve all our support.”
SOURCE: News release from Cass County Prosecuting Attorney Noah Schafer