Man faces jail for heroin possession.

Christopher Gachter with his attorney, David Glancy.

Man faces jail for heroin possession.

#MasonCountyCrime

By Allison Scarbrough, Editor.

LUDINGTON — A Sidney, Michigan man faces jail time after pleading guilty to heroin possession less than 25 grams and third-offense habitual offender during a final conference hearing Tuesday, Sept. 11, in 51st Circuit Court.

Christopher Douglas Gachter was arrested by the Mason County Sheriff’s Office on US 31 near Pere Marquette Highway.

A heroin possession conviction is punishable by up to four years in prison, and his prior record elevated the maximum term to eight years, said Mason County Prosecutor Paul Spaniola.

In exchange for Gachter’s plea, he faces serving six months up front of a one-year discretionary jail term. He will also serve a term of probation with a substance abuse evaluation, and his driver’s license will be suspended for six months with a restricted license after 30 days, Spaniola said. He will receive jail credit for time served on unrelated charges in Montcalm County.

Gachter has previous convictions of first-degree retail fraud in Saginaw County and larceny $1,000-$20,000 in Montcalm County.

Sentencing is set for Nov. 6 at 1:15 p.m.

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Tags: 51st Circuit Court, circuit court, court news