NILES, MI – Two Buchanan residents were sentenced Monday in Berrien County Trial Court at the Niles courthouse.
Michael Allen House, 34, of Buchanan, pleaded guilty to fourth degree arson as a habitual offender and was sentenced to 13 months to 10 years in prison, $198 in fines and costs, and $1,099.71 in restitution to West Winds Apartments.
HOUSE
He also pleaded guilty to stalking and was given credit for 237 days already served and ordered to pay $75 in fines and costs.
Both incidents occurred in Buchanan, with the arson occurring in February, 2025 at the West Winds Apartments in Buchanan.
House received no credit for time served on the arson charge as he was on parole at the time of the incident, having been released from prison on Feb. 4, 2025. The new prison sentence will be consecutive to any sentence he gets for violating his parole.
His past record includes prison sentences for forgery, uttering and publishing, discharge of a firearm in or at a building, possession of ammunition by a felon, possession of a firearm by a felon, false report of a felony. He also has past probation sentences for weapons related charges.
Berrien County Trial Court Judge Gordon Hosbein accepted the plea agreement for 13 months in prison after initially questioning why it was below the sentencing guidelines of 19 months in prison.
Assistant Prosecutor Myrene Koch said that the agreement was based on circumstances and facts of the case. She said the preliminary guidelines had initially been for a minimum of 12 months in prison. She added that her office also contacted the victim about the agreement and noted that House is on parole.
Koch said that the victim still lives in fear after House’s actions. “She wants to feel safe and wants no contact with him,” she said.
Defense attorney Stephanie Teeple said she thought the plea agreement was a reasonable resolution to the matter. She noted that House has already served over 200 days that he won’t get credit for.
Teeple said that House has also made a difference to those with drug addictions. “He has made a big difference to those on drugs and in Narcotics Anonymous,” she said. “Despite his actions here, he was trying to make a difference in the community. He’s helped other drug addicts from relapsing.”
Teeple said House has agreed to pay the restitution. She said he hopes to continue to work with other inmates when he goes back to prison to find a way to cope with their addiction without using drugs again.
House apologized for his actions. “I cannot say how deeply sorry I am. Words cannot express what I feel,” he said. “I hope someday my words will reach her that I’m sorry … I will continue to work with the NA community. I’ve been trying to better myself.”
Also Monday, a Buchanan man was sentenced to probation and jail for an attempted assault on a young woman over the last several years.
Charles Allan Serene, 73, of Buchanan, pleaded guilty to attempted felonious assault and was sentenced to probation, 120 days in jail with credit for 57 days served, 120 days tether and $658 in fines and costs.
SERENE
He had initially been charged with criminal sexual conduct, accosting children for immoral purposes, displaying sexually explicit matter to children, and aggravated indecent exposure. Serene had served as an educational advocate for the victim and assisted her in getting special education services.
Koch said that Serene’s actions had had an impact on the victim and her family. She said the victim now has trouble trusting other people and suffers from fear and anxiety.
Defense attorney Joseph Fletcher said his client has no prior history and that he has had time to reflect on his actions while he’s been in jail. “He regrets his actions. He knows there’s no excuse for it,” he said. “He’s gotten the message.”
Serene said he’s learned from his time in jail and done Bible studies. “I ask for leniency. I’ll never be in trouble ever again,” he said. “I’ve learned my lesson. I will never allow this to happen to me again.”
Judge Hosbein noted that Serene’s actions had traumatized the victim and that she will live with it forever. He told Serene that he had gotten “a heck of a deal” in that he doesn’t have to register as a sex offender. “What you did was horrific and terrible,” he said.
