By DEBRA HAIGHT
BCR Correspondent
NILES, MI – A number of area residents have been sentenced to prison in action last week in Berrien County Trial Court and Cass County Circuit Court.
Edward Deontae Turner, 39, of Midway Drive, Berrien Springs, pleaded guilty in August to two counts of armed robbery, one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm and one count of receiving, concealing or possession of a stolen firearm.
Turner had originally been charged with 13 counts, including two additional armed robbery counts, three more counts of felon in possession of a firearm and four counts of use of a firearm in the commission of a felony. He had also been charged with being a habitual offender.
Berrien County Assistant Prosecutor Myrene Koch noted that Turner held a gun to the heads of store employees and threatened to shoot them when they didn’t move too fast. “This was a very violent crime spree, he made people fearful when he put a gun to their heads,” she said.
Turner apologized to his victims, the court and his family. He said he regrets not being there in the future if his father dies and for his children’s graduations.
Also last week an area resident was sentenced to prison for criminal sexual conduct.
Steven Sean Freeze, Jr., of South Bend, pleaded guilty to second-degree criminal sexual conduct and attempted possession of child sexually abusive materials and was sentenced to 86 months to 15 years in prison on the CSC charge and two years to five years on the child sexually abusive materials charge.
He has credit for 181 days already served and must pay $326 in fines and costs. He must also register as a sex offender for 25 years.
The incident involved an underage female and was reported to police on April 4. A statement from the victim indicated that she was scared, felt hopeless and didn’t think anyone would help her.
Freeze apologized for his actions. “I’m sorry for everything, I made a bad mistake,” he said. “I’m truly wholeheartedly sorry.”
Judge Hosbein noted the impact the situation had had on the victim including threats and intimidation from Freeze’s family. “The most appropriate and proper sentence is at the top of the guidelines,” he said.
An Edwardsburg man who was sentenced to prison in Cass County earlier this summer received another prison term.
Larry Ray Morbach, 55, of Edwardsburg, pleaded guilty to third degree fleeing and eluding police and was sentenced to 14 months to five years in prison and was sentenced to $298 in fines and costs. He has credit for 39 days already served. The sentence is concurrent with the Cass County sentence.
The incident here in Berrien County occurred June 7, the day after he had pleaded guilty in Cass County to delivery/manufacture of methamphetamine. He was sentenced to 12 years to 30 years in prison in the Cass County case.
A Niles man is going to prison after assaulting and severely injuring another man in February.
Greggery Jason Williams, 35, of Niles, pleaded no contest to assault with intent do great bodily harm less than murder and was sentenced last week in Cass County Circuit Court to 29 months to 10 years in prison. He has credit for 66 days served and must pay $3,504.14 in fines, costs and restitution.
He can serve his sentence in the Sentence Alternative Incarceration boot camp program if he qualifies, which could reduce the length of his sentence.
The incident Feb. 22 at a home in Milton Township. Williams and his girlfriend, Emily Thar, went to the home of Gregry Hammond, the father of Thar’s young daughter. Hammond was assaulted and received serious injuries. Thar is facing a jury trial next month on a home invasion charge related to the incident.
Cass County Assistant Prosecutor Jason Ronning noted that a shovel was found near Hammond who said he believed he was hit wit a pipe or a shovel. Williams has denied hitting Hammond with anything but his fist.
“You’re 35 years old and you’re lucky you’re not here for murder,” Cass County Circuit Court Judge Mark Herman said. “Actions speak louder than words and you are violent … I hope you will think long and hard about your actions and raise your children that violence never makes things better.”