A plea agreement with the Cass County Prosecution and a favorable recommendation by the Michigan Department of Corrections has kept a Cassopolis man out of the jailhouse.

Cass County Circuit Court Judge Michael Dodge sentenced Joseph Keith Barnett, 41, to serve two years worth of probation on Friday, on one charge of domestic violence. Dodge also gave Barnett 300 days in jail, which he will be able to serve on the DOC tether program instead of inside Cass County Jail.

The charge stems from an incident that occurred on July 8, when Barnett got into an argument with his ex-wife and sister-in-law at his residence on Crooked Creek Road. When they tried to leave the premises, Barnett, who was intoxicated at the time, tried to forcibly stop them, fracturing his former sister-in-law’s left hand and wrist in the process.

“The fact you had been drinking at the time of the conflict no doubt provided some reason as to your hostile and unreasonable reaction,” Dodge said.

According to the prosecution, Barnett at one point jumped on the roof the victims’ car as they left, attempting to reach inside the vehicle to grab a purse in their possession.

“This was a scary, traumatic thing for the family,” said Assistant Prosecutor Tiffiny Vohwinkle.

The Cassopolis resident has a checkered past, with four prior charges of domestic violence, Vohwinkle said. He had previously served a prison sentence dating back to 2010, though he managed to stay out of trouble since then until the altercation in July.

In light of this and his stable employment, the prosecutor’s office offered Barnett a plea agreement following his arrest, in which he would receive 300 days in jail for the offense. Instead of incarceration, he would have been allowed to serve his sentence on work release.

The probation officers with the DOC offered their own recommendation for his sentence, though, asking the judge to allow him to serve out the sentence on tether instead. The prosecution acquiesced to their request as well.

“Under these circumstances, that is a good outcome,” Dodge said. “Barnett has been doing much better since he was released from prison. He’s employed and it would important for him to continue this employment.”

Also sentenced Friday:

• Darius Allen Hertsell, 32, of Cassopolis, to 300 days in jail for embezzlement.

• Verne Edward Biggs, 54, of Cassopolis, to 120 days in jail for possession of a firearm by a felon and possession of marijuana.

• Mark Allen Best, 47, of Dowagiac, to 18 months in prison for theft of more than $1,000 and for illegal use of financial transaction device.

• George Allen Clark, 19, of Three Rivers, to two years in prison for third-degree criminal sexual conduct.

• Gregory Leamon Hudgins, 29, of Constantine, to 180 days in jail for theft of property of more than $1,000.

• Rebecca Ann Stinnett, 28, of Niles, to two years of probation for use of a stolen credit card.