A Warsaw man was sent to prison for six years Monday for molesting a 3-year-old child his family babysat.
Nathan L. Chupp, 34, of 6097 W. CR 550N, Warsaw, appeared Monday before Kosciusko Superior Court I Judge Pro Tem Karen Springer and was sentenced to 10 years in the Indiana Department of Corrections, with six years executed, for a Level 4 felony child molesting conviction.
Chupp will have to register as a sex offender and serve four years of supervised probation with sex offender rules.
Chupp was arrested in January after a report of him sexually molesting a 3-year-old girl in a barn on his property came to the attention of authorities.
The child told her parents after she was picked up from the Chupp residence on Jan. 4 that Chupp had licked her and asked her to touch him in the groin area.
In court Monday, the victim’s mother spoke and said the Chupp family had been babysitting both of her children since they were infants. The mother said she also has a 6-year-old son.
The woman said the Chupps live across the road and it makes her “skin crawl” knowing that when her children go outside to play that Chupp can see them.
The woman said the family and the Chupps have always been close friends and would interact on a daily basis. She said her daughter is in therapy and does not feel safe unless she is around her own family.
Furthermore, the woman said she quit her full-time career to stay at home with her children because she no longer trusts anyone to watch them.
She said it’s hard for her children to understand that someone they’ve loved and trusted their whole life can turn out to be a monster.
Kosciusko County Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Joseph Sobek asked the judge for the maximum sentence and multiple years of probation.
Chupp’s attorney, Gregory A. Cranston, said his client has accepted responsibility “from day one. He has no excuses and accepts the punishment.”
Cranston said his client has sought treatment since his arrest and has also come up with a “safety plan” with his church, where three families will “watch him” and counsel him every two weeks.
The courtroom and lobby were filled with members of the Amish community Monday.
“I want to apologize to the victim and their family,” Chupp said. “I never wanted to hurt anyone, and I wish I could take it back. I have caused great damage to you. … I pray someday you can forgive me for what I have done.”
Chupp then went on to issue a lengthier apology to his family, his wife, his parents and his church.
Springer wasn’t impressed with Chupp and didn’t buy his attorney’s claims that Chupp has taken responsibility “from day one” as she railed against him looking out more for himself.
“This child, the victim, a 3-year-old, was placed with Mr. Chupp and his family. … I could not even begin to state any more eloquently or painfully than the victim’s mother already has” the damage that was caused, Springer said. “Mr. Chupp was not as forthcoming as immediately as has been said. That was clear in the reporting officer’s statement.”
Chupp initially denied to police he had molested the child.
Pouncing on Cranston’s statement that Chupp “saved the victim’s family” from a jury trial by taking a plea deal, Springer said, “He didn’t ‘save’ the victim’s family. He probably saved himself more embarrassment. He didn’t take responsibility from day one. He wasn’t remorseful and even wanted to be very clear it was ‘all he did’” when making a statement to police and in his pre-sentence investigation report.
“I am not impressed by those comments,” Springer said, also shooting down Cranston’s argument that Chupp sought real help but rather he merely took a psychosexual evaluation.
Springer referenced Chupp’s children, three of whom are daughters, 3 to 16.
“Without him taking a polygraph, I have no way of knowing, nor does anyone else have any way of knowing, if there are other victims of his abuse. But I have the power to make sure there will be no more while he executes his time,” Springer said.
Right before Springer was about to hand down the sentence, she said she wanted to say one more thing.
When Chupp was asked by a doctor what he thought about going to jail, Springer said Chupp responded, “I imagine that’s what others have to do. I hope I can stay in the community.”
“I don’t know why you think you would be any different,” Springer said, then remanded him to the custody of the Kosciusko County sheriff.
“To the (victim’s) family, I truly wish you the best. It’s a heartbreaking case,” Springer said.
Chupp was then cuffed and escorted out of the courtroom.
