Pacific County Superior Court sessions are held in the county’s spectacular courthouse in South Bend.

SOUTH BEND — The following cases were among those handled during the Pacific County Superior Court Oct. 31 criminal docket.

Brian J. Buffington, 38 — The Pacific County Sheriff’s Office arrested him on May 17 after a shooting at the Wallicut RV Park and Campground. He was reportedly intoxicated and went looking for a man that had made his wife uncomfortable. The alleged victim awoke inside his tent to the sound of gunfire.

According to court records, Buffington initially faced second-degree assault with a deadly weapon and pleaded guilty to an amended charge of felony harassment. He faced a standard range, with an offender score of zero, of 1-3 months in jail.

Judge Donald J. Richter sentenced Buffington to two months inside the Pacific County Jail and gave him until Nov. 15 to report to serve his time.

Stephen W. Cutrell, 54 — It has been just over three months since he was arrested on Aug. 31 by the Raymond Police Department after a domestic violence incident. Cutrell was reportedly high on methamphetamine and threatening to harm his wife and cops. When officers arrived, Cutrell challenged them to a suicide by cop.

According to court records, Cutrell initially faced charges of felony harassment, obstructing a public servant and disorderly conduct. He pleaded guilty in a plea agreement to one count of felony domestic violence harassment and one count of felony harassment.

Cutrell has no previous felony history that counted in the plea agreement. He faced a standard range, with an offender score of one, of 3-8 months on each count. Richter sentenced Cutrell to eight months on each count, which will run concurrently.

Samantha R. Vineyard Howard (Hess), 32 — A month and a half after she pleaded guilty to an amended charge of delivery of a controlled substance, she was sentenced. Hess initially faced a charge of controlled substance homicide for the overdose death of Ryan O’Connor in Raymond on March 31, 2021.

Hess’ case was unusual in that she had gone to trial once before between June 10-12, when a mistrial was declared due to a hung jury. The trial was up and down and involved multiple occasions of either Hess arriving late to the trial or falling asleep.

According to court records, Hess faced a standard range, with an offender score of four, of 20-60 months in prison. Her plea agreement recommends a prison-based Drug Offender Sentencing Alternative, which means her sentence is split between serving time behind bars and community custody.

Richter handed Hess a 40-month sentence, with 20 months in prison and 20 months served through community custody. She has already served a significant amount of the in-custody portion of her sentence while being held at the jail.