Days after domestic battery charges were filed against a Republican running for South Bend city council, the Republican candidate for South Bend Mayor — Desmont Upchurch — publicly acknowledged his own criminal past.
Upchurch is campaigningto become South Bend’s first Republican mayor since the 1960s, but this week he’s been publicly acknowledging two incidents from the more recent past. Upchurch, 46, says he grew up in Durham North Carolina and when he was in his early 20s, he pleaded guilty to two misdemeanors. In 1998, he stole $800 on a credit card from a company he worked for at the time at the urging of some friends.
In 2000, Upchurch admitted to hitting a woman he was dating at the time. He was charged with assault and later pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor and served no jail time.
Upchurch said he’s talking about his past convictions now both to get ahead of anyone using it to damage his reputation, but also he said, to be supportive to Roosevelt Stewart who was charged on Monday with hitting and choking his 15-year-old daughter.
"I am aware that [St. Joseph County Democrats] knew about the charges," Upchurch said. "But they've known about them for weeks so there was no need to talk about it. However, a republican candidate is accused of the same actions. My wife and I felt it was probably the ideal time to allow individuals who are experiencing this to know we've been through it."
Upchurch clarified that he condemns the actions Stewart is accused of committing and said he should not campaign.
St. Joseph County Republican Party chairman Tyler Gillean has not returned a voicemail or email messages from WVPE to ask if the party has any comment on Upchurch's comments or on Stewart's criminal charges.
Regarding the event leading up to him hitting a woman he was dating in 2000, Upchurch said he had slept with another woman during his relationship and that the fiancé of that woman vowed to get revenge on Upchurch.
"I apparently slept with a young lady who I later found out their fiancé worked with me. He vowed to have revenge," Upchurch said. "I saw them [the fiancé and Upchurch's girlfriend] together in a room. I assume he got that revenge. I slapped her for it. I ended up leaving. I called and we made up. I didn't realize she had called the police in that moment."
Upchurch says sitting in jail afterword was one of the lowest moments of his life and the lesson he took away was that it's important to take responsibility for one's mistakes. He also categorized his actions in stealing the $800 as "foolish" and "naïve" and said he hasn't been in contact with the people who asked him to commit the crime since the incident.
The court records containing the narratives for both cases have been purged as part of Durham County's policy to dispose of case files for misdemeanors after a period of time, however the court has confirmed the dates of both convictions. Upchurch says the woman he hit was not seriously injured.
When asked if he has a message to voters who would disapprove of his past behavior, Upchurch said his mistakes will have "no bearing" on his leadership as he continues to campaign against incumbent Democrat James Mueller.
"I think it has no bearing on leadership qualities. And we're talking two decades ago. If you're insinuating that someone who made mistakes, can they still function as an instrumental piece in the political arena, I think they can," he said.
Upchurch says he has had no convictions for any other offense in any state since then. Court records show no criminal charges against Upchurch in Indiana.
The general election will be held on Nov. 7.
Meanwhile in Stewart's criminal proceedings, court documents allege his 15-year-old daughter told police that Stewart assaulted her early on Monday morning when she wouldn't give him the keys to the family, as she determined he was too drunk to drive. The girl told police Stewart punched her in the face, and put his hands on her throat until she felt "dizzy." Documents say she was taken to the hospital with a bloody noise and cut lip.
The candidate was arraigned on Wednesday where a cash bond was set for $1,500. He has been ordered to avoid all contact with both the daughter he's accused of assaulting and his 5-year-old niece who witnessed the alleged incident.
