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CASSOPOLIS — A Dowagiac man was sentenced to prison for two separate incidents occurring in Dowagiac in 2023.

Justin Edward Syx, 34, of Magician Lake Road in Dowagiac, pleaded guilty to possession of meth and possession of ammunition by a felon and was given concurrent terms of 18 months to 10 years on the meth charge and 18 months to five years in prison on the weapons charge.

He has credit for 258 days and 216 days already served respectively and must pay $2,246 in fines and costs. He must forfeit the ammunition confiscated by police.

The meth incident took place March 24, 2023 at the Castle Inn on M-51 in Dowagiac when police found baggies, a scale and meth residue on a pipe. The other incident occurred May 2, 2023 on Vineyard in Dowagiac when he was found in possession of ammunition after another man accidentally shot himself.

Fitz noted that Syx has an extensive record and needs to get help for his drug addiction. Defense attorney Robert Drake asked for a year in jail and said Syx shouldn’t be penalized for his past record. Drake said Syx had turned down a probation sentence because he feared failing on probation and getting a worse prison sentence.

“You’re 34 and I see you in this revolving door where you’re in prison or jail,” Judge Herman said. “You’re still a young man, you can have a decent life ahead of you if you make changes … Between prison and jail, you’ve spent about six years of your life locked up including a stint in prison in Indiana.”