CASSOPOLIS – Two area men were sentenced to prison Friday in Cass County Circuit Court, while three others received jail terms.

Robert Alton Casper, 55, of Lawton, was the latest person to be sentenced in connection with a large tri-county marijuana growing operation. Casper pleaded guilty to conducting a criminal enterprise and received a sentence of three to 20 years in prison. He has credit for 409 days already served and must pay fines and costs of $3,048.

Casper and three others were arrested Sept. 11, 2018, in connection with the marijuana growing operation. Search warrants executed that day found hundreds of marijuana plants being grown in two Cass County locations, two Berrien County locations and one location in Newago County.

The leader of the operation, Joseph Lorello, claimed to be a medical marijuana caregiver and was sentenced last week on the same charge and received a prison term of 18 months to 20 years. Two other co-defendants, Vincent Lorello and Jorie Watkins, received probation sentences earlier last week for their role in the operation.

Friday, Casper and his attorney, James Miller, claimed that Joseph Lorello was the only person to benefit from the operation and that Casper’s role was one of rehabbing and maintaining the properties where the marijuana was being grown. They said Casper was being penalized by his prior criminal record which includes 17 felonies and 12 misdemeanors.

Cass County Prosecutor Victor Fitz said his office offered Casper a plea deal below the sentencing guidelines because he had agreed to cooperate in the investigation and testify against Joseph Lorello. Fitz said Casper used bad judgment in getting involved in the operation and noted all four people would face the same charges now even with the legalization of recreational marijuana.

“I don’t think you’re the main cog in this operation, but you should have known something was amiss,” Cass County Circuit Judge Mark Herman said.

In another prison sentence, Adonnas Reese Williams, 31, of Three Rivers, pleaded guilty to second-degree home invasion and was sentenced to four to 15 years in prison. He has credit for 254 days already served and must pay $1,548 in fines and costs.

The incident occurred Sept. 28, 2018, at a home on Paradise Lake Road in Vandalia. Williams was working on a property and went to the home next door and stole a flat screen television and other items. The television was found in his home and his DNA was found on a cigarette butt at the scene of the theft.

“You have six felony and 12 misdemeanor convictions and have spent time in prison and jail,” Judge Herman said. “It appears that you are a slow learner if you’re learning from your mistakes. It boggles my mind that you put your family and yourself in jeopardy for a TV.”

Also sentenced Friday:

• Mitchell Dwayne Adams, 45, of Sturgis, pleaded guilty to attempted carrying a concealed weapon as a habitual offender and was sentenced to 365 days in jail with credit for 63 days already served. He must pay $1,048 in fines and costs.

The incident occurred June 29 at Calvin Center Road and U.S. 12 in Mason Township when police stopped a car Adams was a passenger in. Adams was found in possession of a double-edged dagger.

Judge Herman noted that he would have been more inclined to place Adams on probation if he had not failed to appear for his initial sentencing date.

“I think probation would be a lesson in futility,” he said. “I don’t look at probation as doing you any good, you thumb your nose at the system.”

• Rolando Troy Ruiz, 40, of Marcellus, pleaded guilty to two counts of resisting and obstructing police and was sentenced to two concurrent terms of 365 days in jail with credit for 164 days already served. He must pay $766 in fines and costs.

The incident occurred May 17 on M-40 in Marcellus. Ruiz had bought liquor at a liquor store and went outside and started drinking. He was verbally abusive when police came and ended up having to be tased. He later got in fights in the Cass County Jail.

• David Hardesty, 46, of Three Rivers, was sentenced to 365 days in jail for violating his probation from a July 2017 uttering and publishing sentence. He has credit for 28 days already served.