NILES — A Niles man who assaulted a pregnant woman, drove under the influence and concealed a weapon will spend time in prison for committing the crimes.

Michael Lorimer Starrett, 21, of the 1300 block of Huntley Road in Niles, was charged with carrying a concealed weapon, second-offense domestic assault and operating with the presence of a controlled substance in his system. He pleaded guilty to the multiple charges on Dec. 11, 2017.

Starrett was sentenced Monday by Berrien County Judge Charles LaSata and was ordered to serve 18 to 60 months in prison for carrying a concealed weapon, 116 days in the Berrien County Jail for the assault charge and 93 days in jail for the final offense. Starrett has credit for 116 days served. His sentences will be served concurrently.

According to court records, the crime took place on Dec. 8, 2017, when police received a call about a possible kidnapping. A witness at Gina’s Pizza on S. Third and Bertrand streets said she saw a man, later identified as Starrett, yelling at a woman and forcing her into a car. Police issued a description of the car and advised a be on the lookout.

An officer later spotted the car eastbound on Stateline Road. The officer turned on their emergency lights and attempted to pull the car over, but the suspect’s car attempted to flee, according to court records. A police pursuit lasted for about half a mile, before the suspect’s car was pulled over on Adams Road.

Starrett was arrested. He had a blood alcohol level of .07.  Starrett also admitted to smoking marijuana, according to court documents. Police searched the car Starrett was driving and located a ring with a 3-inch blade fixed to it.

For her part, the victim told police Starrett saw her walking with a friend and ordered her into his car. She appeared to know Starrett, but their relationship was not explained in available court records. The victim said Starrett was upset and accused her of stealing heroin from him.

Defense attorney Scott Sanford, who represented Starrett, asked the judge to consider enrolling Starrett in a program such as Swift and Sure Probation Program. Sanford said given his client’s substance abuse issue, he felt it would be beneficial.

For his part, Starrett said he could prove his potential, if given the chance.

“I come to realize something,” Starrett said. “I have a lot of potential. With that being said, I look forward to learning something from the program.”

Nonetheless, LaSata said he thought Starrett deserved the prison time. He cited Starrett’s extensive juvenile and adult record of crimes.

“Assaulting a pregnant woman — a normal person unlike you, goes out of the way to assist people … you don’t assault them,” LaSata said. “You are going to prison where you belong. When you introduce weapons into an assaultive situation like this, you deserve the prison sentence I am going to give you this morning, sir.”