NILES — A Niles woman was given the opportunity to stay out of prison and get help for her drug and mental health problems Monday in Berrien County Trial Court.

Sara Lynne Balog, 29, of Phoenix Street in Niles, pleaded guilty to delivery/manufacture of methamphetamine and was sentenced Monday to 30 months’ probation with a referral to the mental health court, credit for 79 days already served and $958 in fines and costs.

The incident occurred April 12, 2019, when an undercover police officer picked her up at the Niles District Library and then took her back to her home on Oak Street where the drug transaction occurred. She was then arrested by police.

Berrien County Trial Judge Sterling Schrock noted that the probation sentence was a departure from the advisory sentencing guidelines of 24 to 40 months in prison, but felt the departure was warranted.

“I tend to follow the guidelines and rarely depart lower,” Judge Schrock said. “In this instance, you had a monumental lapse in judgment to use drug dealing as an income source. One of the other issues made clear to me was that you were accepted to mental health court. That all lined up to give me a substantial and compelling reason to depart lower.”

“The guidelines and scoring don’t consider mental health concerns, and I want to give you enough of a time frame to navigate through the system,” he added. “My primary concern is to find an appropriate treatment for you and not just warehousing you.”

Defense attorney Carri Briseno called it heartening that Balog was admitted into mental health court.

For her part, Balog apologized to the court and the community.

“The decision I made was very foolish, selfish and short sighted,” she said. “I can only say that I won’t do it again. The whole purpose of my short stint in drug dealing was that it was a means to an end to get me in a better position.”

Also in court Monday:

• A Niles man was given 45 days in jail after cutting off his electronic tether last fall.

Jacob Noah Schram, 22, of St. Joseph Avenue in Niles, pleaded guilty to tampering with an electronic device and was sentenced to 45 days in jail with credit for no days served because he is on parole. He must pay $198 in fines and costs. The jail term is consecutive to any sentence he receives for violating his parole.

The incident occurred Nov. 22 at Regent and 19th streets in Niles, when he cut off his electronic tether and absconded from parole. He is on parole from a 2018 sentence for discharge of a firearm toward a building. He was released from prison Oct. 15, 2019.

“I’ve made a lot of mistakes, and this one was easily avoidable,” Schram said. “I’m ready to put this behind me.”

• A South Bend man was given probation and jail after stealing more than $1,000 worth of items from Niles Walmart.

Justin David Maike, 37, of South Bend, pleaded guilty to first-degree retail fraud and attempted resisting and obstructing police and was sentenced to two years probation, 120 days in jail with credit for 62 days served and $948 in fines and costs. He can serve the remainder of his jail term in the Tri-Cap inpatient drug treatment program.

The incident occurred Aug. 25 at the Walmart on S. 11th Street in Niles Township when he took a cart full of items out of the store without paying. He later resisted police trying to arrest him. He also has charges pending against him in Indiana.

“It is apparent that this retail fraud incident was motivated by your drug problem,” Judge Schrock told Maike.

• A Granger man was given probation for indecent exposure.

Gary Lynn Reese, 65, of Granger, pleaded guilty to indecent exposure and was sentenced to two years’ probation, credit for 11 days already served and $825 in fines and costs. He can have no contact with anyone under age 18.

The incident occurred between May 1, 2011, and Dec. 31, 2016, when he exposed himself to a young girl at a residence in Niles Township.