COURT NEWS

By DEBRA HAIGHT

BCR Correspondent

NILES – This week’s court news includes sentencings in both Berrien County Trial Court and Cass County Circuit Court.

Two area men are going to prison after being sentenced Monday in Berrien County Trial Court on assault charges.

Austin James Vincent, 23, of West U.S. 12 in Galien, pleaded guilty to third offense domestic violence and attempted interference with electronic devices and

was sentenced 12 months to five years in prison. He has credit for 91 days served and must pay $326 in fines and costs.

The incident occurred Dec. 31 in Galien when he punched his mother, Joy Gustafson, in the head and took her phone when she tried to call for help.

“You have a really terrible record of assaultive behavior,” Berrien County Trial Judge Charles LaSata said. “We’ve tried everything and it has not been productive.”

 

Kyle James Webster, 19, of North 11th Street in Niles, pleaded guilty to attempted assault with intent to do great bodily harm less than murder and to 12 to 60 months in prison with credit for three days served and $198 in fines and costs. He can serve his sentence in boot camp after serving 30 days in prison.

The incident occurred Dec. 6 at a home in Niles when he strangled a woman. Defense attorney Scott Sanford said Webster is trying to straighten his life around and is working two jobs to support his children.

Judge LaSata described Webster’s record as “really bad” including three juvenile convictions and at least five adult convictions. He noted that Webster has been smoking marijuana since he was 11 and had dropped out of school in the 10th grade.

“I’m not real excited about sentencing you to 210 days in jail, I’m thinking you might benefit from boot camp where you can get out in 90 days,” he said. “I think boot camp is the best thing, it let’s you get back to work sooner.”

In other Berrien County sentencings, two area men were sentenced Monday for offenses occurring in the Berrien Springs area.

Neehall Bacchus Pierre, 34, of George Street in Berrien Springs, pleaded guilty to third offense drunk driving and was sentenced to two years probation, 60 days in jail followed by 120 days on tether, 480 hours of community service, 365 days license suspension and $918 in fines and costs.

The incident occurred Dec. 8 at Linco Road and M-139 in Oronoko Township. His blood alcohol level was .215, more than twice the legal limit. His past drunk driving convictions occurred in September 2015 and July 2016.

While Pierre and his attorney blamed his drinking on his post traumatic stress disorder from witnessing the shooting of his best friend as well as the murder of his uncle, Judge LaSata said it was more likely that his substance abuse issues go back to his starting to use marijuana at age nine.

Judge LaSata told Pierre he was giving him a break on his jail term because the county jail is currently overcrowded.

James Michael Dudkiewicz, 29, of Union, pleaded guilty to first offense possession of heroin and first offense possession of fentanyl and was sentenced to two years probation, 60 days in jail with credit for 45 days already served and $906 in fines and costs.

The incident occurred Oct. 11 when he was stopped by police on U.S. 31 in Oronoko Township. He also faces drug charges in Cass County.

Dudkiewicz said he knows he has a substance abuse problem and has checked himself into an inpatient facility.

In Cass County sentencings, a Dowagiac man on parole who was caught in possession of drugs was sentenced to a year in jail as part of a plea agreement.

Annise Lamont Nickens, 45, pleaded guilty to possession of analogues as a habitual offender and was sentenced to 365 days in jail and $1,548 in fines and costs. He has credit for no days served although he’s been in jail for six months as he’s on parole from 2011 prison sentences for larceny and home invasion.

The incident occurred Nov. 1 at a home on Third Avenue in Dowagiac.

Cass Circuit Judge Mark Herman urged Nickens to turn his life around. Both he and Nickens spoke of how Judge Herb Phillipson had sent Nickens to Boystown when he was a youth in hopes of helping him change his life. “At 45, this must be getting old to you,” Herman said. “Judge Phillipson is looking down from heaven wanting you to do well.”

A Nappanee man found selling drugs in the Taco Bell parking lot in Edwardsburg will spend the next year in jail.

 

Dane Michael Bradberry, 46, of Nappanee, pleaded guilty to possession of methamphetamine and was sentenced to 365 days in jail with credit for 42 days served. He must pay $1,608 in fines and costs.

The incident occurred Aug. 3 in Ontwa Township when he was seen selling drugs in the Taco Bell parking lot. He was found with a syringe, scales and a gun when police stopped him.