By DEBRA HAIGHT
BCR Correspondent
This week’s court news includes sentencings from both Berrien and Cass courts.
In Berrien County Trial Court, a Niles man was sentenced to boot camp with the hope that the experience will help him turn his life around.
Dustin Jason Lamont Jones, 22, of Oak Street in Niles,
pleaded guilty to resisting and obstructing police as a habitual offender and was sentenced to 12-36 months in prison. He has credit for 50 days already served and must pay $198 in fines and costs.
The incident occurred Oct. 29 when he resisted and obstructed Niles police officer Jenny Evans at 9th and Oak Streets in Niles by fleeing from her when she attempted to arrest him. He was armed with a gun at the time.
“To me, this case screams out for boot camp,” Berrien County Trial Judge Charles LaSata said. “You have a miserable record. Boot camp is only 90 days if you do everything right. You are a disaster waiting to happen unless you turn your life around 180 degrees.”
The judge noted that although he sentenced Jones to a year in prison, Jones will only have to spend 120 days there if he does everything right. He will have to spend 30 days in prison before being transferred to boot camp for 90 days.
A homeless man is going to prison after being caught with drugs and a concealed weapon.
Billy Dean Roden, 37, pleaded guilty to carrying a concealed weapon in an automobile and use of methamphetamines and was sentenced to 16 months to five years in prison on the weapon charge and credit for time served, 52 days, on the meth charge. He must forfeit the weapon, a nine millimeter gun, and pay $248 in fines and costs.
The incident occurred Oct. 27 on Chicago Road in Niles.
Defense attorney Paul Jancha, Jr. noted that Roden has just recently been diagnosed with post traumatic stress disorder and manic depression. Jancha also noted that Roden faces probation violation charges in two cases in Cass County.
In Cass Circuit Court, a Mishawaka man is going to prison after breaking into a hunting cabin and stealing several items in Calvin Township near Vandalia.
Taylor Alan Overton, 25, of Mishawaka, pleaded guilty
to five felonies and was sentenced to one term of 365 days in jail, three terms of two to 10 years in prison and one term of six to 20 years in prison. All sentences are concurrent.
He pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit larceny over $20,000, larceny over $20,000, conspiracy to breaking and entering a building with intent to commit larceny, conspiracy to steal firearms and conducting a criminal enterprise.
Overton must pay $3,092 in fines and costs and $14,300 in restitution. He has credit for 207 days already served. His jail and prison terms may be served in any penal institution. He still faces drug and other charges in St. Joseph County, Indiana.
The larceny charges occurred Dec. 16, 2017 at a property on Chain Lake Street near Vandalia, while conducting a criminal enterprise charge occurred at the same location between Nov. 1, 2017 and Jan. 17, 2018.
Cass County Prosecutor Victor Fitz said Overton and his co-defendants were involved in a “huge operation” with numerous items taken including tools, all terrain vehicles and more than 50 guns. “He is a threat to the security of the community,” he said. “He’s real dangerous to the community on both sides of the state line.”
“Stealing things was their job week after week,” he added. “The police detective who saw where they stored all the stolen items was overwhelmed. It was like a Wal-Mart of stolen property with washers, dryers, construction materials and guns … When guns get out on the street, people can get hurt and die.”
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