Cass County Law and Courts building cleared after bomb threat

CASSOPOLIS — Employees have were welcomed back into the Cass County Law and Courts Building following an evacuation Friday.

According to the Cass County Sheriff’s Office, the building was evacuated after a bomb threat was called into 911 at 8:45 a.m.

The caller made mention of an individual who had been sentenced to prison through the court system and said court employees would pay for that, said Cass County Sheriff Richard Behnke.

Treating the threat as credible until fully investigated, the sheriff’s office conducted a search of the building using traditional methods and a bomb-sniffing dog. No bomb was found, and the building was reopened at 11:30 a.m. The sheriff’s office also searched the County Administration building, known as the Cass County historic courthouse. The building was reopened Friday afternoon.

Now, the sheriff’s department is following up on leads to find person who called in the threat.

“We have technology and are working on tracing where the call came from,” Behnke said.  “We have officers in the field looking into leads now.”

Howard Township man found guilty of possession of methamphetamine

CASSOPOLIS — After learning of Gene Robertson’s admission that he smoked methamphetamine from a piece of tin foil, a Cass County jury found him guilty of possession of methamphetamine late Wednesday morning.

In a trial that began on Tuesday and concluded on Wednesday, a six-woman, six-man jury heard testimony from three Cass County Drug Enforcement Team detectives regarding their execution of a search warrant at Robertson’s house in Howard Township on Nov. 9, 2018. 

Detectives testified that they found a burnt piece of foil and burnt straws with white powdery residue in Robertson’s bedroom.   

Their investigation showed that the defendant admitted he had smoked methamphetamine the day before his house was raided by police and that the methamphetamine paraphernalia was on a bookshelf in the defendant’s bedroom.  A crime lab witness confirmed the white residue was
methamphetamine.

Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Thomas Hubbert conducted the trial for the people. 

Because he is a seasoned criminal offender, including five prior felonies and numerous misdemeanors, Robertson faces up to life in prison.   

“Meth activity seriously threatens our community,” said Cass County Prosecutor Victor Fitz. “Abusers need to get clean and stop endangering our lawful citizens or face hard time.”

Sentencing is scheduled for 8:30 a.m. Friday, July 26 in front of Cass Circuit Judge Mark Herman.

Auto crash knocks down power line in Milton Township

MILTON TOWNSHIP — A Niles resident was injured in a property damage crash Thursday, according to the Cass County Sheriff’s Office.

Sheriff Richard Behnke reported that at 6 p.m. his office was called to investigate a unknown injury crash that occurred at the intersection of Bell Street and US-12 in Milton Township.

Initial investigation shows Nicholas Smith, of Niles, was northbound on Bell Street when he came to US-12. The driver had a medical episode that caused him to blackout and go through the intersection at US-12. Smith then hit and severed a telephone pole on the north side of US-12, coming to rest against trees.

There was a temporary loss of power to surrounding homes.

Seatbelts were worn and there were no other vehicles involved.

This case remains under investigation.