A LaPorte County man has taken a plea deal before his murder trial was set to begin next week.
Charles Gerron instead pleaded guilty to an amended charge of criminal recklessness Thursday, throwing out a charge of murder in the death of Nekeisha Hodges-Hawkins in 2011.
Under terms of the agreement, Gerron will be given an eight year sentence. That includes one year in LaPorte County Jail, five years in the LaPorte County Work Release Facility, and the last two years on probation.
A statement from the LaPorte County Prosecutor’s Office seemed to indicate that evidence in the case pointed away from murder and towards criminal recklessness, and that opened up plea negotiations with Gerron.
