CASSOPOLIS – A 2018 Cassopolis area home invasion to steal property to buy drugs has landed an Edwardsburg man in prison.

Ivan Andrew Hearld, 48, of South Leonard Court in Edwardsburg, pleaded guilty to third-degree home invasion as a habitual offender and was sentenced Friday in Cass County Circuit Court to two years to seven and a half years in prison. He must pay $2,900 in restitution and $1,548 in fines and costs.

The incident occurred Dec. 6, 2019, at a home on Brownsville Road in Cassopolis. Police responded to a call of a burglary in progress and saw a vehicle leaving the area. The car was later stopped in Elkhart County and the driver identified Hearld as being involved. He was later arrested in March 2019 after DNA tests on a cigarette at the scene identified him.

Hearld also faces a meth charge in Elkhart County and Cass Circuit Judge Mark Herman said Friday that Hearld’s Michigan prison sentence can be served in any correctional facility.

Judge Herman noted that this conviction is Hearld’s seventh felony conviction.

“Your life’s been pretty much in disarray for a long time. You’ve been to prison in Indiana and you haven’t worked since 2015,” he said.

Defense attorney James Miller noted that his client accepted a plea agreement in the middle of his trial last fall.

“He accepted responsibility and made a smart choice,” he said.

For his part, Hearld apologized to the victim, who was not in court, and said he wants to get help for his drug addiction.

“This was a highly dangerous activity,” Cass County Prosecutor Victor Fitz said. “We’ve seen tragedies occur with home invasions more than we should … This does slow him down a little. He needs to be planning what his first step will be when he gets out, I suggest he goes some place to get help for his drug addiction. Right now we have to send a message.”

Also Friday:

• A Niles man convicted of drug and weapons charges will spend much of the next year in prison.

Brian Dale Ballge, 39, of South Third Street in Niles, pleaded guilty to possession of methamphetamines and carrying a concealed weapon and was sentenced to a year in jail with credit for 34 days already served. He must pay $1,616 in fines and costs and $120 in restitution.

The incident occurred April 14, 2019, on U.S. 12 in Edwardsburg. Police pulled him over on a traffic violation for expired plates and he told them that he had a gun in the glovebox. A search also found meth, marijuana and other items.

“We’ve seen again and again the tragedy that can happen when you mix drugs and guns,” Fitz said. “If you are involved in drug activity and you bring a gun in, our office will have no mercy. This is something that impacts the whole community, I’ve seen whole neighborhoods go down.

• A Dowagiac man was sentenced to jail and also faces a parole violation sentence from an early armed robbery conviction after cutting off his tether last fall.

Jasper Declayton Carter, 30, of E. Railroad Street in Dowagiac, pleaded guilty to tampering with an electronic device as a habitual offender and was sentenced to 270 days in jail with credit for no days served. He must pay $1,548 in fines and costs.

The incident occurred Sept. 29 on Colby Street in Dowagiac. Police responded to reports of a fight and found Carter’s tether bracelet on the ground. He was arrested three weeks later.

Judge Herman noted that this was Carter’s fifth felony conviction and that he also has six misdemeanor convictions.

“You have to work on your anger, most of your record comes from when you get made,” he said. “Here, you got in an argument and cut your tether off.”

• A Niles area woman who cut the arm of a child in her care was sentenced to probation.

Rachel Adele Warren, 33, of Carberry Road, pleaded guilty to attempted assault with a dangerous weapon and was sentenced to 18 months’ probation, credit for two days served and $1,788 in fines and costs. Restitution for medical costs will be determined at a later date.

The incident occurred Aug. 27, 2018, at a home in Howard Township when police were called by Child Protective Services about a case of possible child abuse. The victim lost consciousness due to loss of blood from the cut on her arm and has since been removed from Warren’s care.

“You initially claimed that she cut herself during an argument and the victim was initially coached to lie,” Judge Herman said. “You said later that you deliberately cut her. Your children were removed from the home but were returned to you in October. You have been involved with counseling and anger management. Your behavior appears to be out of character.”