On Sunday, August 23rd at approximately 4:50 P.M. Officer Krynock with the Plymouth Police Department conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle at US 30 and Plymouth-Goshen Trail for a traffic infraction. The driver of that vehicle identified as 35 year old, Branden Heitkamp of Mishawaka who is also known as Brandon Dale Harper appeared to have a nationwide extradition felony warrant out of Leavenworth County, Kansas under a different alias. During the traffic stop, officers were unable to positively identify the two identities as being the same and Harper was subsequently released. After a thorough investigation involving multiple agencies across state lines, including the Marshall County Drug Task Force, it was concluded that Harper had indeed previously operated with the other alias for which the warrant had been issued. On Thursday, August 27th at 2:00 P.M. Plymouth Police and the Marshall County DTF, along with the assistance of the Mishawaka Police Department, located Harper at his mother’s residence in the 100 block of Manor Drive in Mishawaka and took him into custody without incident. Mr. Harper was transported and lodged in the Marshall County Jail for the charge of Obstruction of Justice and held without bond pending extradition to Kansas.
Readers are reminded that charging information supported by an affidavit of probable cause is a mere allegation that a crime has been committed and that there is only probable cause to believe a crime has been committed. They are presumed innocent throughout the proceedings and are entitled to be represented by counsel and entitled to a trial by jury at which the State is obligated to provide proof beyond a reasonable doubt before a judgment of guilt may be made.
