COURT NEWS UPDATE

By DEBRA HAIGHT
BCR Correspondent
NILES – A former Berrien County Sheriff’s Department lieutenant charged with embezzlement related charges was sentenced this week to probation and jail.
Trent Michael Babcock, 47, pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge of false pretenses $200 to $1,000 for his actions as a coach with a Niles youth wrestling club. He was sentenced to 30 days in jail, two years probation, $2,445 in fines and costs and $4,800 in restitution.
A restitution hearing will be held to contest the remaining $6,464.31 in restitution being asked for. As part of his probation, Babcock cannot receive or handle any money except in connection with his own business.
The embezzlement from the Niles Wrestling Club occurred over several years dating back to 2017. An investigation into Babcock’s actions began last March and found 36 unexplained transactions totaling over $11,000. Three felony counts of embezzlement $1,000 to $20,000 were dismissed as part of the plea agreement.
Berrien County Trial Judge Jennifer Smith said Babcock “may have done some good things” with the club but told him that the club’s money wasn’t his free for the taking. “You don’t get to dip into the funds whenever you feel like it,” she said. “This was a not for profit organization and they can pay a salary but it all needed to be above board.”
“I’m not saying you were not entitled to compensation for your time, but the parents thought it would be run like it was in the past,” she added. “If you felt you were entitled to money, the parents needed to know … There’s a difference in saying that parents should be paying a portion to you as a coach and just taking it.”
The judge noted that Babcock’s damaged the reputation of the Niles schools’ wrestling program even if the school district isn’t formally associated with the club. “You’ve also damaged the trust of the parents and kids are now going to other places to wrestle,” she said. “They deserve to be able to be in their home area.”
Judge Smith said she sentenced Babcock to jail to send a message and refused to consider defense attorney Lanny Fisher’s request for tether given the nature of the organization Babcock took funds from. “It’s important to send a message to the community which has seen other embezzlement cases,” she said.
Assistant Prosecutor Kate Arnold said Babcock took the money parents paid to have their children in the club and converted it to his own use. “It’s plain to see that he was using the club’s money as his personal piggy bank,” she said.
Fisher said Babcock took over the coaching for the club after the previous coach left. He noted that his client put in over 1,000 hours of his time to the club every year and was not given a salary or reimbursed for his time or travel to wrestling meets.
Babcock was charged with retail fraud in 2017 for shoplifting items from the Niles Wal-Mart when he was still a Berrien County Sheriff’s Department lieutenant. He pleaded to a misdemeanor retail fraud count and was ordered to pay fines and costs. He was fired from the sheriff’s department at that time.
In other sentencings this week, two Niles men were sentenced to prison.
Shannon Michael Dehne, 34, of Niles, pleaded guilty to unlawful driving away of an automobile and was sentenced to 16 months to five years in prison. He has credit for 67 days served. He must pay $198 in fines and costs and $3,716.07 in restitution.

The incident occurred Sept. 16 in Buchanan Township when Dehne took his brother’s car without his permission. The prison term here is concurrent with any sentence he may receive from pending charges in LaPorte County.
Berrien County Assistant Prosecutor Kate Arnold asked for the prison term which she said would be a “reality check” for Dehne. She noted that Dehne’s past record included probation violations and revocations.
Dehne apologized to his brother for taking his car. He acknowledged that he needed help but admitted he had “messed up” on probation in the past. “My actions were completely inexcusable,” he said. “My brother took me in and I took advantage of him.”
“I want to be away from drugs and get back on my feet,” he added. “I’ve made mistakes, I deserve whatever sentence you give me.”
Judge Smith said Dehne through his words and his actions doesn’t seem to want probation. “Everytime someone has reached out, he’s bit that hand,” she said. “… I’m not sure that probation is a good use of the court’s resources.”

Taiten Leigh Polly, 22, of Niles, pleaded guilty to fourth-degree criminal sexual conduct involving an incapacitated victim and was sentenced to 16 months to two years in prison. He must register as a sex offender and pay $198 in fines and costs.
He has credit for no time served because he’s currently in prison on a third-degree criminal sexual conduct conviction. He was convicted in that matter in Cass County last June and sentenced to three years in prison. The date of that offense was April 28, 2019.
The current incident occurred Nov. 20, 2021 in Niles against a 17 year old girl to whom Polly gave alcohol.
Judge Smith said she considers Polly to be a danger to the community and a predator. “You need to address your behavior,” she said. “I hope you change for your sake and for society. At some point you have acknowledge your actions instead of making excuses and saying the victim made things up.”
“You were given the opportunity in the other case and told to be very, very careful in your actions and you did not do that,” she added. “The victim was given alcohol by you and another man and you took advantage of the situation.”