Cass County Circuit Court Judge Michael Dodge said he was going out on a limb when he handed out a 90-day jail sentence Friday to a habitual meth user from Dowagiac caught once again making meth.

Thirty-nine-year old Preston Collett, who has five separate drug-related convictions on his record, was facing between 6.5 and 16 years in prison, according to sentencing guidelines.

Dodge said he believed there was enough reason to significantly deviate from the sentencing guidelines, citing Collett’s willingness to cooperate with police and the numerous letters written by community members in support of Collett.

In addition to serving 90 days in jail, Collett will be on probation for three years and have to complete a drug treatment program.

“If you succeed, there is no doubt you can be a contributing member to society,” Dodge said. “If you fail, the court still has the authority to send you to prison for six years or more, so you have a huge hammer hanging over your head here.”

Prosecutor Victor Fitz, who described Collett as a man immersed in a life of drugs, asked Dodge to sentence Collett to a minimum term of 4.5 years in prison.

Collett’s attorney, James Jesse, said his client went above and beyond in cooperating with police. Dodge said Collette’s cooperation with authorities, which included testifying in front of a federal grand jury, resulted in several prosecutions.

Collett was arrested Nov. 21 after police found a meth lab at his mother’s home on Swisher Street in Dowagiac.

He pleaded guilty in April to four meth-related charges, including operating or maintaining a hazardous waste lab as a habitual third offender.