Area residents sentenced in Berrien County Court

Published 5:00 am Saturday, December 30, 2023

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NILES — Three area residents were sentenced Thursday in Berrien County Trial Court.

Paul Ryan Eager, 47, of Niles, pleaded guilty to interfering with electronic communications and aggravated domestic violence and was sentenced to credit for 378 days served and $308 in fines and costs.

The incident occurred Dec. 15, 2022 in Niles Township when he assaulted family members. One of the victims spoke before the sentencing and said that she feared for her life and was concerned about Eager’s mental health problems.

Jean Carlos Fernandez, 22, of Elkhart, pleaded guilty to attempted third-degree criminal sexual conduct and was sentenced to five years probation, lifetime Sex Offender registration, 250 days in jail with credit for 69 days served and $658 in fines and costs.

He cannot reside within 500 feet of schools and parks, cannot have access to the internet, cannot have contact with any non-family member under age 18 and cannot have a social media presence.

The incident occurred Dec. 1, 2022 in Berrien Springs. The 15 year old victim and her mother spoke before the sentencing and said they and the rest of their family had been threatened.

A South Bend man who was found with ammunition after being stopped by police was sentenced to jail.

Warren Paul Gill, 48, of South Bend, pleaded guilty to possession of ammunition by a felon and was sentenced to 210 days in jail with credit for four days served and $258 in fines and costs. The ammunition and gun were forfeited.

The incident occurred June 6, 2023 in Buchanan Township. This was Gill’s seventh felony conviction.