By By NORMA LERNER / Dowagiac Daily News
CASSOPOLIS - An Edwardsburg man will spend two years in prison for felony firearms in connection with conspiracy to manufacture marijuana plants on Conrad Road in January.
Randy Katterheinrich, 48, of 66554 Conrad Road, was sentenced to prison Friday morning in Cass County Circuit Court.
Katterheinrich pleaded guilty Sept. 19 to possession with intend to delivery marijuana, conspiracy to manufacture marijuana and felony firearm. It was Jan. 20, Circuit Judge Michael Dodge recounted, when the Cass County Narcotics Squad with Michigan state police raided Katterheinrich's home, where he and his two brothers grew marijuana and were found in possession of 5,000 grams of the substance.
Dodge said it was packaged and ready for sale. “It was not for your own use,” Dodge said.
He said Katterheinrich had a prior record of attempted marijuana possession in 1994.
He told him his conviction of felony firearms carried two years in prison.
Prosecutor Victor Fitz stated Katterheinrich squandered his life. He smoked 15 joints a day. “He will have on his tombstone that he was good at growing marijuana,” Fitz said, noting he possessed two loaded shotguns. “You mixed drugs and guns. You need to be sent to prison. He needs time in prison to think what he is going to do with the second half of his life.”
Defense Attorney Mitchel Moldovan said it was an unfortunate situation. The guns wee there. He enjoyed hunting with his brother and decided to grow marijuana for their addiction. “It was more economical to grow it than buy it from someone else. It escalated. He has been a productive member of society. He has held a job. He is not violent. He needs treatment. He is seeking counseling,” Moldovan said.
Katterheinrich was sentenced to jail with credit for time served of 15 days for conspiracy to manufacture marijuana and two years for felony firearms. He is to pay $920 in court costs.
In another sentencing, a habitual criminal convicted of six crimes in the Dowagiac area will spend at least seven years behind prison bars. Paul Moss, 33, whose address is listed as the Cass County Jail, was involved with two others on March 10 when they invaded the home of Angela Mills on Haines Street, Dowagiac. They stole guns and other items to support their cocaine habit, according to Dodge. He recalled that it was not Moss' first home invasion. In 1989 he served a prison term for a breaking and entering conviction.
Moss received five-to-30 years for second-offense conspiracy to home invasion, habitual third; five-to-30 years for second-offense home invasion, habitual third; 34-months-to-10 years for habitual-third larceny firearms; two consecutive years for one count of habitual-third felony firearms; and two concurrent years for one count of habitual-third felony firearms. Moss was also convicted of possessing a weapon in jail on April 29. For that offense he was imposed 29-months-to-five concurrent years.
Fitz said Moss has been a frequent offender in court. “He is violent and dangerous.”
Defense Attorney John Slaw said he has spent a lot of time with Moss and that he has mental problems. His problems are emphasized through his use of cocaine and drugs. This led to his charges today, he said, noting that if he could get control of his drug addiction, he would not be seen in court again. Dodge imposed $1,160 in court costs.
Also sent to prison was Jesus Martinez, 44, 69786 Union Road, Union, for assault with intent to commit sexual penetration of June 16 on Kessington Road, Cassopolis. He received 38 months to 10 years and is to pay $920 in court costs.
In other sentencings:
Alissa Cooper, 18, of 113-1/2 Commercial Street, Dowagiac, received two concurrent years probation for each of two convictions of delivering marijuana and maintaining a drug house on Jan. 1 at her home. She is to serve 200 hours of community service and pay costs of $1,880. Her driver's license was suspended for 180 days.
Sergio Saavedra, 27, 60959 Commercial Street, Dowagiac, received two years probation plus 60 days jail for third-offense operating a vehicle while intoxicated on Sept. 4 on Paul Street, Dowagiac. He is to pay $570 in costs and $150 reimbursement to law enforcement.
Justin Temple, 21, 17807 Wood Street, Vandalia, was imposed 270 days jail for each of conspiracy to possess methamphetamine, possession with intent to deliver methamphetamine, possession of marijuana, fourth-degree child abuse and maintaining a drug house on June 15 on Wood Street. He was given credit for 136 days served and is to pay $362 in court costs. Dodge told him he hoped it was a wake-up call. “You could have easily gone to prison for this offense,” he said.
Austin Johnson, 25, 320 E. Crawford Street, Elkhart, Ind. received 80 days jail with credit for 80 days served and 18 months probation for possession of cocaine less than 25 grams and credit for time served for driving a vehicle while license suspended and driving with no insurance on Feb. 18 on U. S. 12, Union. She is to pay $1,010 in costs and a probation fee as determined by the probation department. Her driver's license was suspended for 180 days.