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CASSOPOLIS — In Cass County Court Friday, a Dowagiac man was given the chance to turn his life around Friday.

Devin Leroy Kirby, 21, of Chestnut Street in Dowagiac, was sentenced for three separate incidents. He pleaded guilty to possession of meth and second-degree child abuse and was sentenced to three years’ probation in the Swift & Sure Program, credit for 212 days served and $2,756 in fines and costs.

That incident occurred June 9, 2021, at Marcellus Highway and Twin Lake Roads in Dowagiac. He sped off when police tried to stop him and crashed his car, endangering the life of a small child who was in the car. He fled on foot from police before being captured.

He was given credit for time served, 169 days and 212 days, in two other cases where he pleaded guilty to attempted possession of a weapon in the jail on July 23, 2021, and possession of meth on May 8, 2021, in Dowagiac. He must pay $1,396.

“It’s fortunate for you that there was a plea agreement for credit for time served,” the judge said. “If not for that agreement, you could be going to prison. Appreciate the agreement you have and the opportunity given. If you violate your probation, the prosecutor will be asking for prison.”

“Learn not to flee police, you put yourself in a worse position when you do that,” he added. “Eventually you will get caught and you’ve made things worse. I will accept the plea agreement but you need to take this seriously.”

In other cases:

• Anthony Dean Camp, 37, of M-62 in Edwardsburg, pleaded guilty to possession of meth and was sentenced to credit for 101 days already served and $1,548 in fines and costs. The incident occurred Sept. 28, 2021 in Edwardsburg. He had his probation revoked and received credit for 186 days served from a 2020 possession of heroin case. He has a warrant out for him from a 2018 possession of narcotics case in St. Joseph County, Indiana.
• Alexander Zuchnik, 30, of Three Rivers, pleaded guilty to possession of meth and possession of heroin and was sentenced to credit for 178 days served and $1,556 in fines and costs. The incident occurred Oct. 17, 2020 in Dowagiac at the Four Winds Casino. He is currently serving a prison term for home invasion from St. Joseph County, Michigan.