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CASSOPOLIS — A Niles man found guilty of drug trafficking was sentenced to prison last week in Cass County Circuit Court.

Heith Bradley O’Donnell, 48, of Woods Edge Drive in Niles, pleaded guilty to two drug charges and two weapon charges and was sentenced Friday in Cass County Circuit Court  to concurrent prison terms of six to 20 years, three to 15 years and one to five years as well as a consecutive two year prison term.

      The six year prison term is for delivery/manufacture of 50 to 449 grams cocaine, the three year prison term is for delivery/manufacture of 200 or more marijuana plants and the one year prison term is for possession of a firearm by a prohibited person. The two year consecutive prison term is for use of a weapon in the commission of a felony.

      O’Donnell has credit for three days already served and must pay a total of $7,902 in fines and costs. His weapons were also forfeited.

      The incident occurred Aug. 10, 2023 when members of the Southwest Michigan Drug Enforcement Team went to O’Donnell’s home on Reum Road near Niles as well as another property he owned in Niles Township.

      Cass County Circuit Court Judge Mark Herman noted that police found cocaine, marijuana plants and related products, weapons, a 1966 Thunderbird, cell phones, a stolen vehicle and thousands of dollars in cash.

      “This has been a waste of an adult life,” Cass County Prosecutor Victor Fitz said. “He doesn’t have an extremely extensive criminal record but his criminal behavior has impacted not just him but people in his immediate orbit and a large swath of Southwest Michigan.”

      Fitz noted that O’Donnell’s past record includes convictions for resisting police, weapons, battery and distributing marijuana and pointed out the trail of death and destruction associated with drug dealing.

      “He was loaded for bear with multiple weapons and cash,” Fitz added. “This is not a good lifestyle and it’s something we don’t want in the community. He has earned a prison sentence and he has no one to blame but himself. “

      Defense attorney Daniel Grow said O’Donnell had obviously gone down the wrong path but described him as kind hearted and considerate. “Part of his problem is that he’s a buyer and seller of all sorts of things including drugs,” he said.

      O’Donnell apologized for his actions. “I have no one to blame but myself, I went down the wrong path,” he said. “This is not the life I want, I want to do whatever programs I can do in prison.”

      Judge Herman said that O’Donnell knew the consequences of his actions since he had previously spent time in federal prison for marijuana distribution. He noted that O’Donnell could have faced a minimum prison term of 13 years except for the plea agreement reached between the parties.

      “It saved you a considerable amount of time in prison,” the judge said. “This will give you the opportunity to get out of prison while you’re still in your 50s and not in your 60s. If you go back to your old ways when you get out, it’s likely you’ll die in prison.”