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NILES — A Niles man is going to prison after being sentenced Monday in Berrien County Trial Court for fleeing police.

Robert Earl Jones, 54, of Niles, pleaded guilty to third-degree fleeing police and was sentenced to 19 months to five years in prison. He has credit for 60 days already served. He also pleaded guilty to resisting and obstructing police and was given credit for time served.

Berrien County Assistant Prosecutor Nicholas DeRyke reported that the incident occurred Feb. 6 in Niles. After being stopped by police, Jones fled police, hit a tree, backed into a police car, fled again, hit another car before fleeing on foot and being captured by police.

Two other counts, one of resisting and obstructing police causing injury and assault with a dangerous weapon, were dismissed as part of a plea agreement.

In another sentencing, a Berrien Center man was sentenced to probation for attempted uttering and publishing.

Leo Edward Conkin III, 34, of Berrien Center, pleaded guilty to attempted uttering and publishing and was sentenced to two years’ probation and credit for time served.

The incident occurred Jan. 15 and involved Conkin trying to cash a check that another person stole out of the mail.

Two other charges, one of uttering and publishing, and one of third-degree retail fraud, were dismissed.

Conkin’s past record includes drug and theft charges.

He was sentenced in May 2017 in Berrien County to one year in prison for possession of cocaine. Previously, he was sentenced in April 2008 to probation for attempted uttering and publishing.

As has been the case since the Michigan Supreme Court ordered reduced court activity in mid-March in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, court action is limited at the Niles courthouse. The building is closed to the public and the court office is operating for limited hours three days a week.

Many court proceedings including civil jury trials and criminal jury trials where defendants are not in custody are being adjourned to after May 1.

DeRyke reported that the two defendants sentenced Monday appeared by closed circuit television from the jail and only court personnel and attorneys were in the courtroom.

That was also the case last week when a Berrien Springs man was sentenced to prison on a sex charge.

Robert James Baldwin, 59, formerly of Berrien Springs and now homeless, pleaded guilty to attempted third-degree criminal sexual conduct and was sentenced to 16 months to five years in prison.

The incident occurred Nov. 5 at a residence on Rocky Weed Road in Oronoko Township with the victim being a mentally and physically impaired woman.

Berrien County Assistant Jerry Vigansky reported that this incident occurred subsequent to Baldwin’s plea in an earlier case of aggravated indecent exposure. Baldwin ended up being sentenced to probation in that case which stemmed from a March, 2019 incident.

In the current case, two counts of aggravated indecent exposure and one count of fourth-degree criminal sexual conduct were dismissed as part of the plea agreement, Vigansky said. Baldwin was also not sentenced as a habitual offender.