Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

NILES — In Berrien County Court Monday, a Niles man was sentenced to prison on drug charges.

Ryan Eugene Swartz, 47, of Niles, pleaded guilty in two different cases. He pleaded guilty to third-degree fleeing police and was sentenced to time served, 111 days, and $198 in fines and costs. That incident occurred April 24 in Niles.

He also pleaded guilty to second-offense possession of meth and domestic violence from an April 4, 2020, incident in Niles. He was sentenced to time served, 93 days, for domestic violence and to 24 months to 20 years in prison and $198 in fines and costs on the meth charge.

Assistant Prosecutor Kate Arnold noted that Swartz has had “some criminal history” with some positives such as no convictions from 2002 to 2013. She noted he has had bouts of sobriety but has gotten hooked on meth the last two to three years.

“That’s a big part of why he’s made poor choices and bad decisions with what he’s doing and who he’s hanging out with,” she said.

Judge Schrock noted that Swartz’s contempt charges while out on bond didn’t reflect well on him being compliant with supervision. “This is about much more than an addiction, you didn’t comply with your bond conditions,” he said.

“What is remarkable to me on the meth charge is that when I look at the risk assessment, you scored high risk on nine of 11 risk factors,” he said. “… The consequences of your behavior is yours, nobody but yours.”