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Chad Riggs with defense attorney Julie Springstead Waltz.
Hart man faces prison for felonious assault.
#OceanaCountyCrime
By Allison Scarbrough. Editor.
HART — A 43-year-old Hart man faces serving 18 months to 15 years in prison after pleading “no contest” to felonious assault and fourth-offense habitual offender in 27th Circuit Court Monday, Nov. 20.
Chad Mitchell Riggs, of 6749 W. Taylor Rd., was arrested last August by the Oceana County Sheriff’s Office on a charge of assault by strangulation and was lodged in the jail on a $15,000/cash/surety bond.
In exchange for his plea to the added felonious assault charge, the original assault by strangulation charge was dismissed. An aggravated indecent exposure charge from a separate incident that allegedly occurred while he was incarcerated in the Oceana County Jail was dismissed.
Oceana County Prosecutor Joseph Bizon said he discussed matter with the second victim, and she’s in agreement with the plea because Riggs is convicted of the more serious charge. Bizon has been informed that the first victim left the state and has not recently been in contact with his office.
Riggs’ habitual offender status elevated his maximum term to 15 years in prison.
Riggs has previous Oceana County felony convictions of larceny in a building, Oct. 2, 2006; assaulting/resisting/obstructing police, March 14, 2011; and second-degree home invasion, Dec. 5, 2011, according to his court file.
Sentencing is set for Jan. 29, and the court will try to get an accelerated date, because he’s currently incarcerated on “dead time” due to violating parole.
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