CASSOPOLIS — The Three Rivers man who drove through Dussel’s Greenhouse in Cassopolis is going to prison on drug and home invasion charges.

Kerry Lane Richards 
Jr., 42, of Harder Road in Three Rivers, pleaded guilty to possession of meth and was sentenced to 23 months to 10 years in prison, $1,548 in fines and costs and restitution of over $9,300 with another $6,500 pending. He has credit for 89 days already served.

That incident occurred Nov. 7 at the Dussel’s Greenhouse on M-60 in Cassopolis. He fled the scene after he crashed into the greenhouse and was found a short time later.

Richards also pleaded guilty to second degree home invasion and was sentenced to 57 months to 15 years in prison. He has credit for 34 days already served and must pay $698 in fines and costs. He pleaded guilty to fourth degree fleeing police and was sentenced to time served and $68 in fines and costs.

That incident occurred Dec. 6 on Brownsville Street in Vandalia. Police responded to an alarm of a break-in. Richards fled from police and was later arrested in Elkhart.

“He has been roaring through southwest Michigan like a wrecking ball,” County Prosecutor Victor Fitz said in court Friday. “He presents a clear and continuing danger to the public. … He needs to be taken out of circulation.”

Richards has pending charges in St. Joseph County, Michigan and also violated his parole from federal drug charges. He asked Cass Circuit Judge Mark Herman for a chance to get help for his drug addiction.

“Prison is the easy part. Living out here is hard,” Richard said in court. “I don’t want to be a drug addict. I’m asking for a chance.”

“You’re asking for help, but you’re already under federal supervision,” Judge Herman said. “You didn’t ask them for help or us and others. You’ve had lots of opportunities to seek help.”

In other cases:

• An Edwardsburg man was sentenced to prison for an assault on the mother of his youngest child.

Michael Hugh Gardner, 38, of North Shore Drive in Edwardsburg, pleaded guilty to assault with intent to do great bodily harm less than murder and was sentenced to 57 months to 10 years in prison. He has credit for 166 days already served and must pay $1,548 in fines and costs.

The incident occurred Oct. 17 at a home in Edwardsburg. The victim was punched repeatedly and had numerous injuries. He later threatened her about testifying against him and then assaulted her another time.

“You blamed your actions on your serious drug addiction and I don’t doubt that, but you also have anger problems,” Judge Herman said in court Friday. “Solving your drug problem is not going to solve your anger issues.”

• A Kalamazoo man is going to prison for sexually molesting a 13-year-old girl more than two years ago in Marcellus. Fitz reported that the man is in the country illegally and is expected to be deported.

Ramiro Rodriguez-Acevedo, 30, of Kalamazoo, pleaded guilty to third degree criminal sexual conduct against a victim between 13 and 15 and fourth degree criminal sexual conduct, and was sentenced to four to 15 years in prison. He has credit for 85 days already served and must pay $1,116 in fines and costs.

The incident occurred in December 2016 at a home in Marcellus. His victim spoke in court and said that the incident had ruined her and her family’s lives and caused her to try to hurt herself and seek counseling.

“Her mother reports that her daughter is a broken girl,” Judge Herman said Friday in court. “This incident has torn the whole family apart. The victim is a very hurt and angry young lady. … Your 15 minutes of violence against a young lady has caused a lifetime of problems for her, her family and you.”

• Dean Allen Kietzer, 44, pleaded guilty to violating his probation from a July 2017 conviction for third offense domestic violence and was sentenced to two to five years in prison with credit for 206 days already served.

The original incident occurred Jan. 11, 2017, at a residence in Dowagiac. While he was able to complete the Swift and Sure program, he later committed a new criminal offense while still on probation.

• Three Dowagiac men were given jail terms for theft, weapon and resisting and obstructing police charges.

James Robert File, 42, of E. Telegraph Street in Dowagiac, pleaded guilty to two counts of larceny from a motor vehicle as a habitual offender and was sentenced to two years’ probation, 270 days in jail and $728.79 in restitution. He has credit for 134 days already served.

The larcenies occurred Oct. 6 and Oct. 17, 2018 at locations in the Dowagiac area where File broke into vehicles to steal items. He also has pending charges from a late March break-in in Dowagiac and just got out of jail in Berrien County on meth and stolen property charges.

“There’s the old adage that 10 percent of the people do 90 percent of the crime and that applies to Mr. File,” Fitz said. “He’s a crime wave with multiple files here. He has four prior felonies and 20 prior misdemeanors.”

• Michael Bernard McHugh, 57, of Chestnut Street in Dowagiac, pleaded guilty to resisting and obstructing police as a habitual offender and was sentenced to 300 days in jail with credit for 115 days already served. He must pay $1,608 in fines and costs.

The incident occurred Jan. 23 at his home in Dowagiac. Fitz reported that McHugh took out a Swiss Army knife when police came to his home and also tried to disarm an officer when he was being arrested. His blood alcohol level was .20.

• Corey Lee Florian, 28, of Randall Road in Dowagiac, pleaded guilty to carrying a concealed weapon and was sentenced to 365 days in jail. He must pay $1,458. The jail term is consecutive to any parole violation sentence.

He has no credit for time served as he is on parole from October 2013 convictions for armed robbery, drugs, obstruction of justice and witness intimidation when this incident occurred.

The incident occurred March 26 at Dillman Street and Wilbur Hill Road in Dowagiac when a vehicle he was a passenger in was stopped by police. They found a knife belonging to Florian during a search of the car.