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CASSOPOLIS — A Dowagiac man withdrew his plea Friday in Cass County Trial Court after Trial Court Judge Mark Herman rejected the plea deal that had been reached in his case.

Israel Santana Reyna, 30, of Walnut Street in Dowagiac, had pleaded guilty to second offense possession of methamphetamine from a May 29 incident in Dowagiac.

Reyna and his attorney, Robert Kardatzke, had asked Judge Herman to accept the recommendation which included participation in the Adult Treatment Court and no additional jail time.

The judge took issue with the recommendation and noted that Reyna had just been released from prison earlier this year after serving concurrent terms for operating a meth lab and conspiracy to deliver meth.

“Four days after your release, you were arrested again with drugs and with felons, one that had a gun,” Judge Herman said. “In just four days you accumulated more felonies. Your mother and grandmother ask for leniency, but what have you done to deserve leniency? You have not shown them one ounce of respect since you were about 14 years old.”

“You have no work history and have only taken advantage of them and now you want me to believe you have had an epiphany and want to take control of your life and live on the straight and narrow,” he added. “You never even had the gumption to get a GED (diploma) all your years in prison. If you were given the opportunity, I would expect you to abscond.”

Kardatzke indicated that Reyna would withdraw his plea and is asking for the case to go back to the beginning in Cass County District Court with a preliminary hearing. Reyna had waived a preliminary hearing because of the plea agreement.