South Bend man sentenced on weapon charge
Published 4:52 pm Monday, July 22, 2024
- Miltroka
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NILES — A man whose father was sentenced to jail last week was given a jail sentence Monday in Berrien County Trial Court.
Gino Anthony Miltroka, 20, of South Bend, pleaded guilty to attempted carrying a concealed weapon and was sentenced to 10 days in jail with credit for two days served and $258 in fines and costs. His firearm was forfeited.
The incident occurred Jan. 5 in Bertrand Township.
Miltroka’s father, Jason Miltroka, was given a similar sentence last week for the same charge and same incident.
Defense attorney Daniel French said that there had been a “lot of bad choices” that led to the incident in which the father and son brought guns into Michigan where they had come to buy marijuana. He noted that Indiana and Michigan have different laws when it comes to both items.
“It was me being ignorant for not looking up the law,” Miltroka said. “I made the wrong decision.”
“When your father was sentenced, I talked of other things going on,” said Berrien County Trial Court Judge Jennifer Smith. “You came here to go to a dispensary for marijuana which is illegal in Indiana. Then you were driving with a suspended license and not completely forthcoming with the officers.”
“You’re correct, it would have been easy to find out the laws,” she added. “It’s your responsibility if you want to carry a gun to know the laws. You’re not on a good path here. You used marijuana while you were on bond even thought it was against the bond conditions.”