CASSOPOLIS — Sherill Langford’s gambling addiction led to

the death of two dogs in April at the Four Winds Casino near Dowagiac. Friday, she was sentenced to probation and ordered to not own or have supervision of any animals for the next two years.

Langford, 50, of Davison, Michigan, pleaded guilty to three counts of attempting to kill or torture animals and was sentenced in Cass Circuit Court to two years’ probation, 90 days jail that can be served on tether, 250 hours of community service, $2,134 in fines and costs and $511.95 in restitution.

Under a plea agreement accepted by the court, Langford’s three felony convictions will be vacated if she successfully completes her probation and reduced to two misdemeanor counts of cruelty/abandonment of animals causing death.

During her probation, she cannot own or have unsupervised care of animals and cannot enter any casino, gamble online or purchase lottery tickets. Her community service is to be done at an animal shelter or animal rescue center. The restitution is to be paid to Cass County Animal Control which has been caring for the one surviving dog since April.

The incident occurred April 7 at the Dowagiac Four Winds Casino. Cass Chief Assistant Prosecutor Tiffiny Vohwinkle reported that casino surveillance cameras recorded Langford entering the casino around 8 a.m. that day and not leaving until 6 p.m., when police contacted her about the three dogs in her truck.

“No doubt, it was a torture session for the animals,” Vohwinkle said. “They had no water, food or bathroom breaks for those hours. Two of them died an agonizing and horrible death. This is a terrible thing that occurred. Her gambling addiction led to the death of two animals. She needs help with her gambling, but she also needs to be punished.”

Defense attorney John English noted that Langford has no criminal record and did not intend to harm the animals. He said she has been going to Gamblers Anonymous.

“She has very deep remorse for how the animals died, and she has been punishing herself,” he said.

Langford also addressed the court Friday.

“I feel horrible and stupid and embarrassed to be standing here today,” Langford said. “I have a gambling problem. I love my animals. It was a horrible accident.”

Cass Circuit Judge Mark Herman called the incident a travesty.

“You said you had left the window cracked and you had checked on them during the day, and you hadn’t,” he said. “I’m sure you have punished yourself over and over. You were entrusted with the care of the animals, and you gambled.

“I believe you are remorseful and that you didn’t intend for this to happen,” he added. “But I am at a loss as to how you could forget they were in the truck. I can’t imagine getting so lost in gambling. I guess that’s what addiction does. It can make a liar out of a saint.”

In other sentencings, two area men were given probation terms for assault and larceny charges.

• Michael Smith, 51, of Mishawaka, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit larceny in a building and conspiracy to break and enter a building and was sentenced to two years’ probation, credit for two days served, $2,006 in fines and costs and $2,245.08 in restitution.

Smith and two co-defendants, Michael Miner and Alyshia Boord, broke into a storage shed and stole yard equipment items in the 200 block of Lakeshore Drive near Stone Lake in Cassopolis on May 10, 2018. Miner and Boord were ordered to be on probation and pay fines, costs and restitution earlier this month.

• Timothy Davis, 32, of Beeson Street in Cassopolis, pleaded no contest to attempted assault with a dangerous weapon and was sentenced to two years’ probation, credit for one day served and $1,788 in fines and costs.

The incident occurred Sept. 2, 2018, on Hoffman Street in Cassopolis. The victim in the incident told police that her car had been damaged by a bullet. Police found a gun and knife in Davis’ car. Davis himself was found passed out in his car and has maintained his innocence.