CASSOPOLIS – A Dowagiac man is going to prison after assaulting his girlfriend on two occasions last year.

Travis Lavaughn Shell, 40, of W. Wayne Street in Dowagiac, pleaded guilty to two counts of third-offense domestic violence as a habitual offender and was sentenced Friday in Cass Circuit Court to two concurrent terms of three to 10 years in prison.

He has credit for 190 days already served and must pay $1,746 in fines and costs. Restitution for damages the victim incurred will be determined later.

The incidents occurred July 3 and Aug. 1 at a home in the 400 block of W. Wayne Street in Dowagiac when he attacked his 39-year-old girlfriend. He knocked her to the ground, strangled her, dragged her by the hair and stole her dentures. She required medical attention in one of the incidents.

Shell’s victim spoke before the
sentencing.

“I’ve been through a lot trying to get past this,” the woman said. “I’ve had nightmares. I’ll never be the same again. I came so close to death, it opened my eyes. He strangled me to the point I blacked out.

“I want him to go to prison,” she added. “I want justice. … I’m 39 years old and this is the first time anyone ever laid hands on me. He’s a habitual offender with crimes involving women, drugs and alcohol. He’s just crazy.”

Cass County Chief Assistant Prosecutor Tiffiny Vohwinkle said Shell acted like many domestic violence abusers do as he abused her and then called her to apologize and asked her not to testify against him.

“He lured her back to his house, and then he strangled her,” she said. “He was laughing as he was saying he was going to kill her and her whole family. The recommendation of prison is totally appropriate. He doesn’t know how to stop. These are serious, dangerous, criminal actions.”

Defense attorney Robert Drake acknowledged his client has anger control problems but also said he has physical and mental disabilities.

“Obviously, mixing alcohol and drugs with anger makes for tragic results,” he said. “It’s an unfortunate situation all the way around.”

Shell said he did not think prison was the answer as it would not allow him to get the help he needs.

Cass Circuit Judge Mark Herman said Shell’s record includes a history of assaultive behavior dating back to when he was a juvenile.

“You have over 20 years of assaulting people,” he said. “You’ve spent 915 days in jail before this. When I look at the letters you and others sent that you’ve learned your lesson, it doesn’t seem to me like you’ve learned your lesson.”

In other sentencings, a Vandalia man was placed on probation in the Adult Treatment Court for drug charges while a Goshen woman was given credit for time served for theft charges.

Brent Thomas Elder, 27, of Kirk Lake Road in Vandalia, pleaded guilty to possession of methamphetamines as a habitual offender and was sentenced to three years’ probation, credit for 76 days already served and $1,908 in fines and costs.

The incident occurred Dec. 6, 2018, at Elder’s home in Vandalia when his probation officer made a home call and found him in possession of methamphetamine and a pipe. Elder admitted he had relapsed and had bought meth in Kalamazoo.

“We can offer you opportunities but the reality is that it’s up to you,” Herman said. “If you do the least possible in the program, you will be back here and you won’t beat your addiction. Your goal needs to be to want to change your life. This is a 10-year felony. My hope is that we never see you back here again.”

Also Friday, Maranda Marie Barnett-Reed, 26, of Goshen, pleaded guilty to attempted larceny in a building and was sentenced to 18 months’ probation, credit for 26 days already served, $1,288 in fines and costs and $1,366 in restitution.

The incident occurred Oct. 20, 2016, in Porter Township when she and two others broke into four storage units. They were arrested after driving into a cornfield and attempting to flee on foot. Reed told police that they broke in to steal and get money for drugs. She has been incarcerated for much of the time since then in
Indiana.