Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
A Syracuse man will serve 15 years in prison after dealing drugs to undercover officers on three separate occasions.
Curtis Lee Bonds, 49, of 8708 E. Walnut Drive, Apt. 2, Syracuse, was sentenced for dealing cocaine, a level 2 felony; dealing cocaine, a level 3 felony; and dealing cocaine, a level 4 felony. Three cocaine possession charges were all dismissed as part of a plea agreement.
Bonds was sentenced in Kosciusko Superior Court I on Thursday, July 16.
For the level 2 felony, Kosciusko Superior Court I Judge Karin McGrath sentenced Bonds to 15 years in the Indiana Department of Correction. Bonds received five-year sentences for the level 3 and level 4 felonies, with both sentences suspended on formal probation. All three charges will be served back-to-back.
In total, Bonds received a 25-year sentence, with 15 years executed and 10 years on probation. Bonds must also pay $1,925 in restitution to the NET 43 Drug Task Force.
McGrath recommended Bonds for participation in Recovery While Incarcerated. She also noted Bonds needed to serve half of his executed sentence before he could be considered for possible sentence modification.
At sentencing, Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Joseph Sobek argued for consecutive sentencing, noting Bonds' cases were "distinct and separate" because of the dates they occurred.
Defense attorney John Barrett said Bonds had some criminal history but described it as "far removed in time and unrelated" to Bonds' recent cases. He asked the court to consider Bonds for RWI and for possible sentence modification in the future.
"I had a really bad addiction problem," said Bonds. "I'm so sorry for what I did ... I want the chance to show I can be a good, respectful person. I tried to cover my pain with drugs."
McGrath noted Bonds' statement in his pre-sentence investigation report about how he dealt drugs to feed his own addiction.
"But in that process, you've spread poison to other people," said McGrath. "You've learned you can't manage this addiction on your own. It's unfortunate that you got caught up in this very bad cycle of behavior."
Affidavits Of Probable Cause
In June 2025, NET 43 purchased a total of 8.3 grams of cocaine from Bonds. NET 43 also purchased 8 grams of cocaine from Bonds in August 2025.
