BERRIEN COUNTY COURTS HAND DOWN SENTENCES IN CHILD ABUSE CASES

By DEBRA HAIGHT
BCR Correspondent
NILES, MI – A number of area residents have been sentenced recently in Berrien County Trial Court at the Niles courthouse.
Former Eau Claire resident Willie Wright, Jr., 61, now of Kalamazoo, has been sentenced to prison for sexually molesting a young girl resulting in pregnancy. He pleaded guilty to first-degree criminal sexual conduct and was sentenced to 30 to 60 years in prison. He has credit for 94 days served and must pay $258 in fines and costs. He will have lifetime electronic monitoring if he’s released and must register as a sex offender. The incident occurred in late 2014 at a location in Eau Claire.
Berrien County Assistant Prosecutor Myrene Koch argued successfully to have the sentencing guidelines raised because of Wright’s conduct and the impact it had on the victim. The guidelines, which are advisory and not mandatory, were originally 42 to 70 months and were raised to 108 to 180 months.
The victim spoke briefly before the sentencing. She said the abuse lasted for years, that she felt isolated at the time and that she was seeking justice for herself and her child.
“I don’t think any words I can say can give you justice from your standpoint, but I hope you get closure today,” Berrien County Trial Court Judge Gordon Hosbein said.
In addition to objecting to elements of the initial sentencing guidelines, Koch also asked Judge Hosbein to exceed the guidelines. “He did these actions over a long period of time and they had a ripple effect on the victim and others,” she said.

Wright apologized to the victim and her family.
In handing down the prison sentence, Judge Hosbein concluded that the sentencing guidelines-even at their higher levels-did not take into account the specifics of this incident including how Wright’s actions affected the victim.
“It leads me to believe that there is reason to go above and beyond the guidelines,” the judge said. “The guidelines don’t encapsulate the circumstances of the case.”
Daniel Jay Pickens, 26, of Niles, pleaded guilty to a child abuse charge and was sentenced to 15 years to 45 years in prison. He has credit for 56 days already served and must pay $258 in fines and costs. The incident occurred Dec. 8, 2024 in Niles. According to statements made in court Monday, Pickens threw his three-month-old daughter on the ground.
The victim’s mother spoke before sentencing. She asked that Pickens receive the maximum sentence possible for his actions. She said that her daughter has sustained injuries that could affect her for the rest of her life.
Assistant Prosecutor Jerry Vigansky said that Pickens failed in his most important duty as a father, to protect his child from danger. “Our role is not to become frustrated when a baby cries,” he said.
“This was horrendous, horrible and unspeakable,” he added. “Her life has changed forever. No sentence he gets here will be long enough. This was one step short of the next charge which would be murder … It is my belief that he never should have contact with kids again. His actions were brutal and unspeakable.”
Defense attorney Carri Briseno said Pickens has always taken responsibility of his actions and agreed to plead guilty rather than go to trial. “He is prepared to accept whatever outcome he gets,” she said. “He wants his family and his daughter to know that this is something he will never forgive himself for. He has a lot of remorse for his actions.”
Pickens apologized for his actions. “I’m sorry. I take responsibility for my actions,” he said. “I regret what I did; I wish I could take it back.”
Judge Hosbein noted that the baby’s treatment at the Mott’s Children Hospital saved the little girl’s life. “Nothing I can do today can help you heal or make you whole,” he told the baby’s mother. “I’m truly sorry for what your little girl is going through.”
He said that the term “shaken baby syndrome” is a misnomer, as the baby was grievously abused and thrown to the ground. He likened the baby’s injuries to what she would have gotten if she had been in a car accident without a seatbelt. He noted that legislators have proposed laws that would require child abusers to be registered like sex offenders.
Michael Duane Carroll, 38, pleaded guilty to third offense drunk driving and was sentenced to 24 months to five years in prison. He has credit for 149 days already served and must pay $1,618 in fines and costs.

The incident occurred in December 2024 on U.S. 12. His blood alcohol level was found to be .203, more that twice the legal limit. This was his seventh drunk driving related conviction. He also faces other charges in Indiana.
Assistant Prosecutor Myrene Koch noted that Carroll tried to force his passenger to shift seats in the car to avoid taking responsibility for driving drunk.
Defense attorney Daniel French said that Carroll regrets his actions and blames much of his problems on mental health issues, childhood trauma and an attack by his father earlier last year. He said Carroll had been a into mental health court. Carroll said he had turned to substance abuse after what he suffered at the hands of his father and is seeking help.
Judge Hosbein said that while he recognized Carroll’s mental health issues; he also had to take the community’s safety into consideration. “The problem I have is that this is your seventh drunk driving conviction,” he said. “You put the community in extreme danger.”