By AARON MUELLER

Niles Daily Star

CASSOPOLIS — Cass County Circuit Court Judge Michael Dodge hopes he sent a message to young local drug dealers when he sentenced a Niles man to 18 months of probation with the first 60 days to be served on tether on Friday.

Cale Kennedy, 21, delivered marijuana to undercover police informants in Howard Township on three separate occasions in March.

First he delivered $60-worth of marijuana at the Stop-In Restaurant, the second time $80-worth at the same location and finally $70-worth at the Phillips 66 gas station on Detroit Road.

Chief Assistant Prosecutor Frank Machnik said the court needs to “shock” Kennedy into seeing the severity of the crime.

“Quite honestly, if we’re going to get this young man’s attention, we need to give him some sort of jail time,” he said.

Kennedy, who has a job and is studying at Southwestern Michigan College, wasn’t granted Holmes Youthful Trainee Act status, which allows youth who have pleaded guilty to be placed in prison or on probation without a conviction to avoid a criminal record.

“You’re not suitable for Youthful Trainee status,” Dodge said. “Three instances of selling marijuana on the streets is not the kind of conduct for that status.”

Dodge said he hopes Kennedy’s sentence will help him keep his life on the right track.

“You need to recognize that this is serious criminal conduct,” Dodge told Kennedy. “I don’t know what you were thinking, with all this going for you, to sell drugs for money. Hopefully while wearing that tether bracelet and people will see it, you will see that this is serious.”