Chesterton Tribune

 

 

Porter man sentenced to time served, must testify against accused murderer

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The Porter man who police say actually stole the handgun allegedly used by another Porter man to fatally shoot a Portage resident in December--during a vehicle entry gone bad--has been sentenced to time served, after pleading guilty to two counts of theft.

On Friday, Korey Brandon Izynski, 19, with a listed address of 637 Wood St., was sentenced to two and a half years in prison on the first theft count, with all of it suspended but the 155 days in jail he spent awaiting disposition. On the second theft count, he was sentenced to two years in prison, with all of it suspended.

The balance of each suspended sentence Izynski will serve on formal probation.

A third charge filed against Izynski, attempted theft, was dismissed.

Under the terms of the plea agreement reached with the Porter County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, Izynski is required to testify against his co-defendants in the case and to participate in a dual diagnosis program--treating substance addiction plus behavioral issues--at Porter Starke Services.

Finally, a no-contact order in place since the shooting in December, prohibiting Izynski during the pre-trial period from communicating with the widow of the victim, Alex Tapia, was modified to remain in effect throughout the term of his formal probation.

The handgun which police say Tapia’s accused slayer, Thomas Reichler, used in the shooting on Dec. 12 was reported stolen only three days earlier from a Chesterton resident’s unlocked vehicle, while it was parked in the 600 block of North Calumet Road.

Police say that Izynski is in fact the one who stole the Ruger 9mm LCP but later traded it to Reichler for an FN Herstal semi-automatic pistol which Reichler had stolen only two hours before the shooting, from a vehicle parked in the 100 block of Taylor Street in Chesterton.

Reichler, 18, with a listed address of 405 Strongbow Trail in Porter, is charged with murder, attempted theft, and possession of stolen property.

Also charged in connection with events on Dec. 12 is Nathaniel Sipe, 19, with a listed address of 677 E. U.S. Highway 6 in Jackson Township. Sipe is facing a charge of theft.

Izynski had been charged as well with assisting a criminal committing murder--after police said that he drove Reichler to the hospital for treatment of gunshot wounds sustained when Tapia returned fire--but the state moved to dismiss that charge.

 

 

Posted 5/18/2015

 
 
 
 

 

 

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