NILES — A Chicago man that took enforcement officers on a cross-county chase will not be able to evade the law for some time thanks to two prison sentences given to him Monday.

Charmaine C. Davis, 25, was sentenced to two consecutive prison sentences by circuit court judge Charles LaSata at the Niles Courthouse, 1205 Front Street. He will serve 23 to 60 months in prison for evading law enforcement and then 12 to 24 months in prison for stolen property.

Once he is released, he will pay $258 in fines and be sent to an Illinois court system, where he will deal with warrants for his arrest in the state.

Just past midnight Sept. 21, Buchanan police officers attempted to pull over a Jeep with a temporary license plate. The driver, Davis, drove the vehicle south to Three Oaks, leading law enforcement officers in a chase. The Jeep reached the speed of 127 miles an hour before spike strips thrown by officers stopped the car.

Three people then fled the vehicle, Davis included. Davis and another man, Calvin Edwards, of Chicago, were caught while another escaped. Edwards was sentenced to 160 days in jail by LaSata Nov. 5.

The Jeep turned out to be stolen, and items associated with burglary were discovered in the vehicle.

LaSata called Davis’ actions that night “ridiculous.” He also noted that Davis caused a delay in sentencing Monday morning because he initially refused to take a DNA test.

“You came here [to Michigan] to commit crimes,” LaSata told Davis. “You committed crimes. I think a jail sentence is warranted.”

Davis said he wished to withdraw his plea deal because he was being treated unfairly, but LaSata cut him off as he was taken away by deputies.

“Too late,” LaSata said. “You’re sentenced. Have a nice day.”

Six other people were sentenced Monday by LaSata:

• Billy Joe Murphy Jr., 55, of Hickory Street in Niles, was sentenced to 14 to 240 months in prison for third degree assault and battery, with 48 days credit, and will have to pay $198 in fines.

On Sept. 14, Murphy made advances on a woman at Jay’s Lounge, 3025 S. 11th St. The victim pushed Murphy away, who then grabbed her by the throat and pressed her against a wall. The victim smashed a beer bottle against Murphy’s neck before bar security broke them apart.

Murphy’s trial resulted in a retrial, which LaSata said was his first in 16 years with
Berrien County.

• Angela Darlene Clemons, 36, of Benton Harbor, will serve 12 to 60 months in prison, with 56 days credit, for weapon larceny. She will also pay $298 in fines and restitution, with about $800 more in restitution
possible.

On June 11, Clemons stole a 0.22 revolver and silver coins from her victim. The male victim drove her to his house at 4 a.m., where they went to bed. He realized after dropping Clemons off the next day that his gun and his coins were gone.

Clemons initially denied stealing the gun, saying it showed up at her mailbox. The stolen coins were never recovered.

• Nathan Andrew Phillips, 28, of James Street in Niles, was sentenced to 150 days in jail, with 62 days credit; a two-year felony probation; and $2,976.50, about $1,838.50 of which is restitution.

Phillips stole his grandmother’s debit card in late July before moving from Niles to Muskegon. A few days lafter, his grandmother realized that multiple charges totaling over $1,800 were made to her
bank account.

Law enforcement determined Phillips made the transactions through the use of received store surveillance video and because Phillips had to provide his ID at one Muskegon store to purchase cigarettes.

Phillips’ grandmother, Karen, went to the stand Monday to tell LaSata that she forgave her grandson, and past trauma was a reason for his actions.

“I’ve been hurt, but I can’t go around taking that as a crutch,” Phillips said to LaSata. “I have to take full responsibility for my actions.”

LaSata said he agreed.

• Gregory Gerald Watts, 25, of S. Fourth Street in Niles, was sentenced to 15 days in jail, $705 in fines and 18 months of felony probation for domestic violence and a
bond violation.

Watts grabbed his victim by the throat after an argument, using a phone cord to hit her. He then hid his victim’s phone.

Watts’ victim came to the stand to state that a series of events, including unemployment, led to him going “haywire.” She said she had never seen him like that in the seven years she had known him. He has always been a caring father and a hard worker, she said.

As part of his felony, Watts will enroll in a domestic violence intervention program.

• Jerrid James Miller, 34, of Brooks Street in Niles, was sentenced to 135 days in jail, with 65 days credit; two years felony probation; and $1,188 in fines for a second degree controlled substance possession and a bond violation. His jail time will likely be cut short, as he is set to be enrolled in a boot camp by the Michigan Department of Corrections.

Narcotics law enforcement entered Miller’s home Sept. 4 with a search warrant. They found Miller in the bathroom, attempting to flush drugs down the toilet.

During the search, officers seized heroin and methamphetamine, which Miller said was his and was not being sold.

During sentencing, LaSata told Miller he planned to give Miller prison time, but seeing Miller’s long history of strong employment made him realize a spark of wanting to do better still existed in the defendant.

“I think you can pull it off,” he said to Miller about probation. “I really do. You need to keep yourself busy.”

• Leishell Melikuli Jordan, 47, formerly of Niles, now of Muskegon, was sentenced to 150 days in jail, with 69 days credit, two years of felony probation and $1,953 in fines and restitution for writing and cashing three counterfeit checks in 2016.