Man sentenced to jail for break-in, bad check

Dukes

Man sentenced to jail for break-in, bad check

HART — A 37-year-old New Era man who crawled through a dog door to get inside his ex-wife’s Grant Township house was sentenced to 19 days in jail with credit for 19 days served in Oceana County’s 51st Circuit Court this week.

Matthew Charles Dukes, pleaded guilty, Jan. 9, to breaking and entering a building with intent and writing a check on a closed account in a separate case.

After gaining access to the home, Dukes apparently completed some household chores. “It appears he took a shower; swept the floor; fed the dog; and took a check and maybe some other small items,” said Oceana County Prosecutor Joseph Bizon.

He was sentenced to 18 months probation and $108 in restitution in the breaking and entering case and $1,600 in the bad check writing case. He was ordered to pay fines and costs totaling $1,256 for both cases.

Sentencing guidelines in the case are 0-3 months for the no account check conviction and 0-11 months for the breaking and entering. “MCL 769.34 directs the court to order probation under these circumstances,” said Bizon.

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