South Bend man gets prison time for 2020 Cassopolis robbery

Published 1:25 pm Friday, August 25, 2023

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 CASSOPOLIS — One of the men who took part in a 2020 armed robbery at a home in Cassopolis was sentenced to prison Friday in Cass County Circuit Court.

Harris

Adonis Harris, formerly of Ohio, is also wanted for a 2020 murder in South Bend, Indiana. Harris, 20, pleaded no contest to charges of armed robbery and conspiracy to commit armed robbery and was sentenced to two concurrent terms of six years eight months to 20 years in prison. He has credit for 1,152 days already served and must pay $2,176 in fines and costs.

The incident occurred March 3, 2020 when Harris and three others went to a home on Day Lake Road in Cassopolis where he and three others robbed a woman to steal marijuana and cash and sell it in Indiana. They then traveled to South Bend where they murdered a person there.

One co-defendant, Oluwatompie Makanjuola, was sentenced earlier this year to a term of 70 months to 30 years. He also is serving a 45 year prison sentence in Indiana for the South Bend murder.

Cass County Assistant Prosecutor Ryan Funk said that Harris and the others went to the home to steal marijuana and cash from the man who lived there. When they found he wasn’t home, they terrorized his girlfriend and killed the woman’s dog.

“There’s nothing that can be done to erase her memories and the loss of her dog,” Funk said. “She couldn’t be home alone for a long time. In his description of the offense, he’s blaming others, denying pulling a gun on the victim and killing her dog.”

Defense attorney Robert Kardatzke said Harris suffered from “the impetuousness of youth”, noting he was just 17 and in high school when the offense occurred.

“He was hanging out with people he had no business hanging out with, he was recruited into this incident.”

Kardatzke said Harris has reconnected with his father and now has a stronger family support system.

Harris said this was his first criminal case ever.

“I missed my graduation, prom, college, everything,” he said. “I have four jobs lined up as well as school. I’m asking you give me a chance, I ask for time served.”

“When I look at the word impetuous, I think of doing something quickly or without thought or care,” Cass Circuit Judge Mark Herman said. “This is way more than impetuous. While I realize you were young when you initially went along with this, you tend to minimize and not take responsibility for your actions.”

“You talk about missing prom, graduation and college,” the judge added. “If those things were important to you, you wouldn’t get in a car with three others and come to Michigan to rob somebody … She will suffer PTSD the rest of her life just for you to get a little marijuana and cash.”

Judge Herman called releasing Harris for time served as not realistic.

“You have to decide whether you will run with people wanting to make a quick score or put your criminal ways behind you,” he said. “You’re 20 years old, you will still be young when you get out and be able to be a productive member of society.”