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Gale
By Allison Scarbrough, News Editor
LUDINGTON — A 34-year-old Oceana County man was sentenced to 40 months to 20 years in prison for a conviction of receiving and concealing stolen property in Mason County’s 51st Circuit Court Tuesday, May 12.
Nicholas James Gale pleaded no contest to the charge Jan. 30. His charge was amended from an original felony count of larceny $1,000-$20,000 that was dismissed.
“The tools were stolen from a work site in Sheridan Township,” said Mason County Prosecuting Attorney Beth Hand. “It was new construction, and the contracting company had tools at the location. The tools were recovered at a location utilized by the defendant in Oceana County. A search warrant was executed at the home in Oceana, and there were numerous stolen items from various locations.”
Gale was also ordered by Judge Susan K. Sniegowski to pay $1,000 in restitution and $198 in fines and costs, according to court records. He received credit for 75 days in jail.
The Mason County crime occurred Sept. 10, 2024, according to court records — just a couple months after he was paroled from prison July 2, 2024, Michigan Department of Corrections records indicate.
Gale, who was prosecuted as a fourth-offense habitual offender, has a history of theft-related crimes. He was sentenced to two and a half to 10 years in prison July 17, 2017 in Oceana County for a breaking and entering conviction. Gale and an accomplice used bolt cutters to break into storage units on West Tyler Road in Golden Township, he testified. They stole sets of tires, a helmet, goggles and sets of wrenches, he testified.
He has previous felony convictions in Oceana County of second-degree home invasion in November of 2010 and breaking and entering in October of 2012.
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