Man with long criminal record sentenced for resisting arrest.

VanGelderen

Man with long criminal record sentenced for resisting arrest.

#MasonCountyCrime

By Allison Scarbrough, Editor.

LUDINGTON – A 40-year-old Hart man was sentenced to one year in jail Tuesday, Dec. 17, in 51st Circuit Court for convictions of assaulting/resisting/obstructing police and third-offense habitual offender.

Wade James VanGelderen, of 215 N. State St., resisted arrest Oct. 7 by Department of Natural Resources (DNR) officers.

VanGelderen, whose brother is an area DNR officer, was aware that he was engaging in illegal actions “due to the defendant’s familiarity with his brother’s occupation,” said Mason County Prosecutor Paul Spaniola. “He was a parole absconder at the time of the offense.”

VanGelderen’s attorney Becky Lederer said that her client was “completely out of it” the day of the incident.

“I was under the influence of meth when this occurred,” said VanGelderen. “I believe I wouldn’t have walked away from them,” he said, had he not been under influence of meth. “It’s a new drug I tried last year, and I wish I wouldn’t have ever tried it.”

Lederer asked Judge Susan K. Sniegowski for her client to be able to do inpatient rehabilitation. “He desperately needs that,” she said.

“The parole side of your sentence needs to be taken care of before I can order rehab,” said Judge Sniegowski. “If they don’t revoke your parole and don’t send you to prison, you could make a motion to do that.”

Because VanGelderen was on parole at the time of the offense, his sentence runs consecutively to any parole violation sanctions he receives. His time served in jail also does not count as credit for his jail term. “For 76 days I’ve sat, which I know is dead time,” he said.

“I apologize for coming to your county and doing what I did and for bringing drugs to your county,” VanGelderen said.

He was initially charged with fourth-offense habitual offender, which was dismissed in a plea agreement.

Sentencing guidelines in the case are 5-34 months.

According to the Offender Tracking Information System (OTIS), VanGelderen has the following convictions that yielded prison terms with the Michigan Department of Corrections:

– Breaking and entering a building with intent: two to 10 years, Jan. 18, 2017 in Oceana County;
– Breaking and entering a building with intent: one and a half to 10 years, Jan. 23, 2012 in Oceana County;
– Breaking and entering a building with intent: one year and 11 months to 10 years, Feb. 3, 2006 in Allegan County;
– Receiving and concealing stolen property $1000-$20,000: one year and 11 months to five years, Oct. 31, 2005 in Ottawa County;
– Larceny in a building: one year and five months to four years, Oct. 31, 2005 in Ottawa County;
– Larceny in a building: three years, Aug. 30, 2004, in Ottawa County;
– Unlawful use of a motor vehicle: two years, April 11, 2003, in Allegan County;
– Receiving and concealing stolen property $1000- $20,000: three years, June 6, 2005, Ottawa County;
– Receiving and concealing stolen property $1000- $20,000: three years, Aug. 30, 2004, Ottawa County.

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