CASSOPOLIS — Drugs and guns do not mix and are a recipe for disaster. That was the message Friday to an Edwardsburg resident sentenced in Cass County Circuit Court.

Gary Lee Reynolds, 46, of May Street in Edwardsburg, pleaded guilty to possession of meth, possession of a dangerous weapon and two counts of carrying a concealed weapon and was sentenced to four concurrent terms of 365 days in jail. He has credit for 55 days served and must pay $1,872 in fines, costs and restitution.

The incident occurred Sept. 15, 2018, at a residence on Filmore Avenue in Ontwa Township. Cass Circuit Judge Mark Herman reported that police were at the home to serve a warrant on someone else. Reynolds was arrested when he was found to be in possession of meth and weapons including guns and brass knuckles.

“At your age, I would hope you would have outgrown childish impulses,” the judge told Reynolds. “You being here doesn’t set a good example for your kids.”

“At age 46, it’s in many ways a sad day,” said Cass County Prosecutor Victor Fitz. “He’s been using drugs since 1989. Today has been a long time coming and he has to pay the piper. He needs to let people know that if you add guns to drugs, you pay a heavy, heavy price. It’s recipe for disaster.”

“This plea agreement allows him to avoid prison time,” Fitz added.

“He knows he’s paying a significant price,” said defense attorney James Miller. “He was attending a social gathering, and he had a gun on his person. He respects and accepts the consequences.”

In two other sentencings, area residents were sentenced to probation.

Alyshia Rae Boord, 28, of Michigan City, was convicted of four felonies after a May trial: conspiracy to commit breaking and entering with intent to commit larceny, breaking and entering with intent to commit larceny, conspiracy to commit larceny in a building and larceny in a building.

Friday, Boord was sentenced to two years’ probation for the breaking and entering charges and ordered to pay $2,202 in fines and costs and $2,245.08 in restitution to Kevin Weber. She has credit for 62 days already served on all four charges.

The incident occurred May 11, 2018, at a property in the 200 block of Lakeshore Drive near Stone Lake in Cassopolis. Boord and two co-defendants broke into a shed on the property to steal items they could then sell in order to buy drugs.

“I’m deeply sorry for the incident,” Boord said. “I would like a chance to prove I’m not a horrible person.”

“Your two co-defendants pled guilty and left you holding the bag,” Judge Herman said. “The other lesson you should have learned is that it’s expensive to steal things to cover your own expenses. I want you to appreciate that if you do it again, you will have prison guidelines.”

Additionally, Eddie Max Weiser, 33, of Jay Street in Dowagiac, pleaded guilty to possession of meth and was sentenced to three years’ probation in the adult treatment court program, completion of the Twin County Probation program, credit for 42 days already served and $1,908 in fines and costs.

The incident occurred May 4 at a home in the 100 block of Jay Street in Dowagiac. He was arrested after police came responded to a backyard fire and found Weiser inside the home.

“This is your third conviction for meth,” Judge Herman said. “What’s concerning is your meth involvement the last four years. We can only do so much and offer you the tools of adult treatment court. If you do just as little as possible, you will fail and be back here. We don’t have a magic wand. You have to step up to the plate and take this seriously.”

In a probation violation sentencing, an area resident is going to prison after violating his probation from a February 2017 conviction for conspiracy to commit armed robbery at a Marcellus convenience store.

James Robert Jones, 20, of Mendon, pleaded guilty to a probation violation and was sentenced to five to 20 years in prison. He has credit for 586 days already served and had his probation revoked.

He violated his probation by assaulting others and committing retail fraud. Judge Herman noted that Jones initially got a lighter sentence than his three co-defendants and squandered his opportunity on probation.