Ludington woman avoids prison in weapons case

Tina Ann Bailey with her attorney Douglas Stevenson.

By Allison Scarbrough. Contributing Editor.

LUDINGTON — The Ludington woman who was arrested last December with her husband on multiple weapons charges narrowly avoided prison Tuesday, March 17, in 51st Circuit Court for convictions of larceny of a firearm and felon in possession of a firearm.

Tina Ann Bailey, 34, was sentenced by Probate Court Judge Jeffrey Nellis to one year in jail with credit for 87 days served for each count, which was the plea agreement between the prosecution and defense. Nellis filled in for Circuit Court Judge Susan Sniegowski on the case, because she had been previously involved as an attorney in a related matter.

Bailey and her husband Christopher Wayne Bailey, 41, were also arrested by Muskegon County authorities in November of 2013 after stealing a 78-year-old woman’s purse at the Lakes Mall in Norton Shores the previous summer.

Bailey’s jail terms are concurrent to each other and concurrent to her probation violation conviction in Muskegon County, Nellis said. She was also ordered to pay $350 restitution, which is joint and several with Chris Bailey.

“Ms. Bailey has a very serious set of problems beginning with a serious substance abuse problem and a problem with a lack of respect for other people’s property, particularly retail stores,” said Mason County Prosecutor Paul Spaniola.

“She understands she has a serious substance abuse problem. She is involved in a very bad relationship and is pursuing divorce,” said her attorney Douglas Stevenson.

“One thing that is very clear to me, there are major overtones of substance abuse in this case,” said Nellis. “This certainly could have been a prison case. Your attorney has done a good job of representing you to keep you out of prison.”

The sentencing guidelines for the case were 7-23 months incarceration.

Christopher Bailey’s sentencing is set for April 21.