CASSOPOLIS — A Dowagiac man is going to prison after pleading no contest to sexually molesting a young girl nearly a decade ago.

Michael Aaron Leonard, 26, of Riverside Drive in Dowagiac, pleaded no contest earlier to first-degree criminal sexual conduct and was sentenced Friday in Cass County Circuit Court to 51 months to 20 years in prison. He must pay $1,108 in fines and costs, register as a sex offender, be on lifetime monitoring and have no contact with the victim.

The incidents occurred over a one year period in 2010 and 2011 against a girl aged 6 and 7 at the time. Leonard molested the girl and threatened to hurt her and her family if she told.

The victim spoke before the sentencing.

“I feel sad, mad and angry,” she said. “I don’t know why he took my innocence from me. I just want him to think what he did to me. He needs help, and I don’t think he should be around kids. He needs to spend time in jail or prison for what he did to me.”

The victim said she’s afraid to be around men and doesn’t trust people anymore. Her mother reported to the court in a victim impact statement that her daughter’s grades have dropped, she cries frequently, gets in fights and has attempted to cut herself.

“This is certainly a very brave young lady,” said Cass County Prosecutor Victor Fitz. “She stood up for herself and for others. … You can see how this impacted her. She was crying and could hardly speak. He took away her innocence, but she will move on.”

Leonard said he regretted his actions.

“I feel terrible about this,” he said.

“You say you learned from your mistakes, but the impact on her will be drastic and lifelong,” said Cass County Circuit Judge Mark Herman.

In another sentencing, a Cassopolis man who caused an accident and resisted and obstructed police was sentenced to probation and tether, despite a call from his victim that he be sentenced to jail.

Adam Andrew Tyszka, 31, of Dutch Settlement Road in Cassopolis, pleaded guilty to resisting and obstructing police and moving violation causing serious impairment of body function and was sentenced to two years’ probation, 180 days tether and $1,938 for the resisting charge and $865 in fines, costs and restitution on the other charge.

The incident occurred June 7, 2017, on M-62 in Silver Creek Township when Tyszka crossed the center line and hit a vehicle. The driver of the other car was seriously injured, had numerous surgeries, broke 29 different bones and was in the hospital or rehabilitation for 50 weeks.

“I was 77 when this happened and driving semis,” the victim said. “My life came to a screeching halt. I hold no anger or animosity but I do have a point about highway safety. He ignores the rules, and I fear that the next time he will kill a person. … He made a choice without thought to the safety and well being of others.”

“This case is as real as it gets,” Fitz said. “He was literally shattered. He was in a coma, had several surgeries and broken bones. There needs to be a message sent when someone shows callous disregard.”

Tyszka and his attorney, Joseph Fletcher, painted a much different picture. They said this was a traffic situation where Tyszka was coming back from an eye appointment and was wiping his watering eyes when he crossed the center line and hit Schueneman.

“He regrets what happened every single day,” Fletcher said. “He’s maintained employment as a tree climber for seven years. He’s the sole provider for his family.”

“I would like to apologize to the victim,” Tyszka said. “This haunts me every night. If I could take it back, I would. I wish it would have been me.”

Judge Herman said he was put in difficult position as the victim asked for harsher sentence, while the plea agreement between the defense and prosecution calls for the charge to be reduced to a misdemeanor if Tyszka successfully completes probation. He told Tyszka that he would give him tether but warned him he could spend 11 months in jail if he violates his probation.

Also Friday, a Dowagiac man out on parole from a 2015 Berrien County delivery of cocaine sentence will get the chance to turn his life around on probation.

Marcus Dontel Reid, 40, of Johnson Street in Dowagiac, pleaded guilty to fleeing police as a habitual offender and was sentenced to five years’ probation and $2,648 in fines and costs.

The incident occurred Sept. 22 when police saw him fail to stop at a stop sign and use a turn signal on Lowe Street in Dowagiac. Reid initially stopped but then sped away at speeds up to 60 miles per hour. He ended up crashing into a woodpile at Pokagon and Thickstun streets and then fleeing on foot. When he was caught, he was found to have been drinking and had marijuana on him.

“I made a bad choice that night,” Reid said. “I made a super silly decision. I had a little too much to drink. It was a boneheaded decision. I panicked. I was on parole. I have taken my time in jail to refocus.”

“You’ve been clean for 14 months, and you’ve held a job,” Judge Herman said. “I contacted your employer, and he said you were a great worker and would give you your job back. You asked for mercy, and I’m going to give you mercy. This is an opportunity to show what kind of man and father you want to be.

“It comes at a little cost. You’ll be on probation for five years with no up front jail time,” he added. “If you violate and come back here, you’re looking at prison. I don’t want to see you back here. Your sons need you.”