By By NORMA LERNER / Dowagiac Daily News
CASSOPOLIS - Three young Dowagiac men who broke into two groceries, taking money and tobacco, will spend time in Cass County Jail.
They also attempted to steal a safe estimated to contain $7,000, but left it behind because they couldn't open it.
Receiving jail terms on Friday in Cass County Circuit Court were 19-year-old Jeffery Roetzel of 27744 Swamp St. and Derek Beavers, 20, of 606 1/2 Spruce St.
The third co-defendant is a juvenile who may be sentenced as an adult, according to Jason Ronning, chief assistant prosecutor.
It was on Nov. 21 when the threesome broke into Leitke's Grocery on Jefferson Street in Dowagiac and stole cash and tobacco.
They went back on Nov. 28 and broke into Leitke's Grocery again, then went to the Save-A-Lot on N. Front Street in Dowagiac where they removed a safe to another location in a shopping cart with contents estimated to be over $7,000.
They couldn't get it open and decided to leave the safe behind hidden in some thorny bushes.
The safe has since been stolen and is still missing, according to court records.
However with no record and a letter of recommendation from the Volinia Outcomes School in the Marcellus Community School District, Dodge said Roetzel deserved a sentence at the low end of his guideline range of nine to 13 months.
Roetzel received concurrent terms of four years probation plus 300 days jail for attempted larceny in a building at Leitke's Grocery on Nov. 28; 300 days jail for attempted larceny in a building on Nov. 21 at Leitke's Grocery; and four years probation and 365 days jail for safe breaking on Nov. 28 at Save-A-Lot. He is to share the cost of restitution with the other two co-defendants of $2,472.78 to Leitkes and $7,315 to Save-A-Lot. Roetzel is to pay court costs of $1,710 and was given credit for 87 days served.
Beavers received four years of probation and 365 days for safe breaking on Nov. 28 at Save-A-Lot, a concurrent 300 days for attempted larceny in a building on Nov. 28 at Leitke's Grocery and a concurrent four years of probation and 300 days jail for attempted larceny in a building on Nov. 21 at Leitke's Grocery. He is to pay a share each of the same restitutions. His court costs amounted to $1,100. He received credit for 83 days served.
Others sentenced on Friday:
Carrie Savely, 22, 70710 Elkhart Road, Edwardsburg, received 300 days jail for uttering and publishing on June 29 in Edwardsburg and a concurrent 300 days jail for larceny in a building and a concurrent 221 days for resisting and obstructing on July 11 in Edwardsburg. She was assessed $300 court costs and restitution of $1,161.92 for taking money from her father. She was given credit for 206 days served.
Mark Underly, 37, 69132 Davis Street, Edwardsburg, received three years probation and one year jail for failure to pay child support on Nov. 4, 1999. He is to pay $1,270 in court costs and restitution of $12,000.
Wayne McNeil, 27, 2666 Terminal Street, Niles, received 365 days jail for operating a vehicle while intoxicated with an occupant under the age of 16, second offense; a concurrent nine days jail for unlawful use of registration plates; and a concurrent 365 days jail for attempted resisting and obstructing police officers on Dec. 29 on Runkle Road, Niles. McNeil drove off the road with a female passenger and two small children while driving with a blood alcohol level of 0.16. He is to pay $1,470 in court costs and fine.
James Neal Jr., 42, 60673 Main Street, Vandalia, received two to three years prison for being a second-habitual offender resisting and obstructing police; 180 days jail for possession of marijuana; 93 days jail for retail fraud; and 30 days jail for second-offense trespassing, all concurrent but consecutive to two prison sentences. Neal Jr. was caught stealing in a store in Vandalia when he assaulted and threatened police and committed the offense while on parole. He was assessed $1,050 in court costs.
Tommy Martin, 37, 308 East Telegraph, Dowagiac, received 90 days jail for attempted destruction of police property at the Cass County Jail on Dec. 27 while serving a sentence for attempted breaking and entering. His term is to run consecutively with his prior term. He was assessed $120 in costs.
Melinda Fowler, 26, 52158 Tonya Road, Mendon, Mich., received three years of probation and 300 days jail for breaking and entering an unoccupied building on Aug. 21 in Jones. She stole property to sell to support her cocaine habit. She is to pay $1,880 in court costs and restitution of $1,050.
Carl Caulder, 38, 604 Days Avenue, Buchanan, received 150 days jail for fraudulent use of building contract fund on Nov. 29, 2001, on Detroit Road, Niles. He is to pay $120 court costs and paid $7,310 in restitution.