CROWN POINT

Sentencing date set for man guilty of dogfights

A sentencing date for Gary firefighter Carlton Davis Jr. has been set for June 3, Lake Criminal Court Judge Salvador Vasquez said Wednesday morning.

A jury found the 34-year-old man guilty last month of eight felony charges of promotion of an animal in a fighting contest, 12 misdemeanor counts of animal cruelty, one misdemeanor count of purchasing or possessing an animal for an animal-fighting contest and a misdemeanor count of possession of animal-fighting paraphernalia. He was acquitted of three counts of animal cruelty and felony using an animal in a fighting contest.

The state presented about 200 pieces of evidence in the trial.

Fifteen dogs were confiscated from Davis' Calumet Township home May 29, 2006, after neighbors complained about the condition of the animals. Lake County police found equipment on his property they believed to be used in dogfighting.

Davis appeared in court with attorneys Christopher Schmidgall and Mark Bates.

His previous attorney, Garry Weiss, died last week in a three-vehicle crash that killed four people at 101st Avenue and Randolph Street, which is on the border of Merrillville and Winfield.

CROWN POINT

E.C. man sentenced for sex with 14-year-old girl

Barry Slack Jr., 38, was sentenced Wednesday to 25 years in prison for sexual misconduct with a minor and being a habitual offender, the Lake County prosecutor's office said.

Slack, of East Chicago, pleaded guilty March 20 to the felony charges.

On Dec. 21, Slack called a 14-year-old girl into the bedroom of a Gary home he shared with the girl's mother, the prosecutor's office said. He had the girl perform a sexual act on him.

Slack also has prior convictions for auto theft, attempted auto theft and burglary.

He was sentenced Wednesday to 15 years in prison with one year suspended for sexual misconduct and an additional 11 years in prison for being a habitual offender.