BY DAN HILDEBRAN
General manager
A 41-year-old Starke man on the verge of standing trial for sexual assault, aggravated battery, and felony battery pleaded to witness tampering and was sentenced to three years in prison.
In 2021, a companion of Lavern Leonard Marks accused the then-39-year-old of punching her in the mouth, kicking her in the back, and sexually assaulting her twice.
At the time of the 2021 incident, the defendant was on probation for domestic battery and had two prior convictions for battery.
Starke Police Detective Kimberly Mosley wrote in a warrant affidavit that she saw bruising on both sides of the victim’s face, inner lip, both sides of the victim’s body, and a loop mark on the right side of her hip.
“(The victim) stated the loop mark was from a previous assault where Marks hit her with a belt,” Mosley wrote. “She also disclosed Marks threatened to stab her with a fork he was holding in his hand as well.”
