NILES — A Buchanan man who stabbed his victim in the stomach with a pair of scissors was sentenced Monday at the Niles Courthouse, 1205 Front St.

Trial Court Judge Charles LaSata gave Nicholas Todd Ewert, 37, of E. Fourth St., 120 days in the county jail, with 83 days already served, for aggravated assault. He will also serve two years of felony probation and pay $1,005 in fines.

On Sept. 29, 2019, Niles officers met Ewert’s victim at an emergency room. Earlier, Ewert had hit her and stabbed her after a disagreement. At the time the police report was written, the victim was in stable condition.

Before sentencing, Ewert said he feared the victim posed a threat to him and his family. After asking LaSata for a restraining order, the judge cut him off.

“One of the worst things you can do in my court is bad mouth a victim,” LaSata said. “Buck up and do the right thing.”

Also Monday:

• Michael Ray Brown, 59, of Bluff St. in Buchanan, was sentenced to 12 to 48 months in prison, with 70 days already served, and $198 in fines for resisting Niles police officers.

He was also sentenced to two concurrent 10-day jail sentences for failing to appear before court twice in the past five years.

In 2017, Brown attempted to flee police officers in his vehicle near Harding’s Market in Niles. Police had attempted to pull him over because two vehicle lights and two trailer lights were not working.

Between the offense and Monday’s sentencing, Brown served time for theft through the St. Joseph County, Indiana court system.

Monday, Brown apologized to the Berrien County Sheriff’s Department and the Niles Police Department for being a “total idiot.”

LaSata said he agreed with Brown’s characterization.

• Melissa Parm, 41, of S. 13th St. in Niles, was sentenced to 90 days in the county jail, with 16 days already served; two years of felony probation; and $1,138 in fines for possession of methamphetamine.

On Nov. 6, 2019, Parm was arrested on a felony probation detainer. After officers conducted a search of her purse, they found 0.2 grams of a white substance, which Parm confirmed was meth.

In court Monday, Parm’s defending attorney noted that the instance was her client’s first relapse in 1.5 years and that she had only one prior conviction.

LaSata said he was glad that Parm had an employer willing to keep her on staff after she finished her jail sentence, one she has been with for multiple years.