CASSOPOLIS – A Benton Harbor man who stole money out of a residence hall at Southwestern Michigan College will have the chance to prove himself on probation and have his felony reduced to a misdemeanor.

Bryan Linnell Harris, 21, of McAllister in Benton Harbor, pleaded guilty to larceny in a building. He was sentenced Friday in Cass Circuit Court to two years of probation, three days in jail with credit for three days served and $1,788 in fines and costs.

The felony larceny in a building charge will be taken off his record and replaced with a misdemeanor charge of larceny over $200 and under $1,000 if he successfully completes the probation term.

The incident occurred April 23 inside a residence hall on the SMC Dowagiac campus where a surveillance camera in the building showed him stealing money. Harris was out on bond at the time after having pleaded guilty to larceny in a building in Berrien County after he was caught cutting locks at the St. Joseph YMCA.

“Stealing even a few dollars is not a joke,” Cass Circuit Judge Mark Herman said. “We could write this off as a juvenile indiscretion if you hadn’t done something similar in Berrien County. You got a heck of a deal to be able to reduce this charge to a misdemeanor.”

Herman told Harris that he had planned to give him 30 days in jail but decided to give him a chance to prove himself.

“I expect you to go to school and get your life on track,” he said.

Cass County Prosecutor Victor Fitz echoed this sentiment.

“He needs to grow up and grow up fast,” Fitz said. “Here, his actions are those of a child and a criminal. He’s playing with fire … At this point, he doesn’t get it. This is no laughing matter. We will be watching closely. He needs to keep his hands to himself and not take other people’s property.”

Also on Friday, an Edwardsburg man was sentenced to probation for possession of methamphetamine.

Joseph William Luthringer, 45, of Stateline Road in Edwardsburg, pleaded guilty to possession of marijuana and was sentenced to one year probation and $1,668 in fines and costs. He was given 365 days in jail. He has credit for 459 days already served.

The incident occurred Jan. 23, 2017, at his residence on Stateline Road in Edwardsburg when police searched his home and found meth and meth-related items. Luthringer spent a year in jail in Elkhart County after that and was released in March.

“I made a mistake and got caught up in something I shouldn’t have,” Luthringer said. “I need to rebuild my life, I’ve lost everything because of this … You’re not going to see me back here again.”

Fitz noted that Luthringer would have been looking at prison except for his “lucky” break when evidence was disposed of before trial.

Herman placed Luthringer on probation because he called it a “disservice” to cut him loose without any supervision.

Two area men were sentenced to probation on marijuana related charges.

Hayden Matthew Kruger, 26, of M-60 in Cassopolis, pleaded guilty to delivery/manufacture of marijuana and possession of marijuana and was sentenced to two years of probation, one day in jail with credit for one day already served and $1,988 in fines and costs.

The incident occurred Feb. 7 when 200 packages of marijuana edibles and $10,000 in cash were found in a search of his home in Jefferson Township.

Edward Lagarde Neal III, 42, of East Prairie Ronde in Dowagiac, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to deliver/manufacture marijuana and delivery/manufacture of marijuana and was sentenced to two years of probation, one day in jail with credit for one day already served and $1,438 in fines and costs.

The incident occurred Sept. 14, 2017, on East Prairie Ronde when police discovered 40 marijuana plants during a search of the property.