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Gale
By Allison Scarbrough, News Editor
LUDINGTON — A 32-year-old Mason County jail inmate, who is a habitual offender, faces multiple charges for allegedly bringing fentanyl into the jail and furnishing it to another inmate who nearly died after taking the drug last November.
Travis Michael Gale of Oceana County faces charges of delivery/manufacture of cocaine, heroin or another narcotic less than 50 grams, which is a felony punishable by up to 20 years; furnishing contraband to prisoners, a five-year felony; prisoner in possession of contraband, a five-year felony; and possession of cocaine, heroin or another narcotic less than 25 grams, which is a four-year felony.
Gale, who is lodged in the Mason County Jail on a $250,000 bond, appeared in court in person Tuesday, Oct. 29, and his attorney Ravi Gurumurthy appeared via Zoom video conferencing.
Gale was sentenced to three to 20 years in prison in Kent County, Sept. 18, for a conviction of conducting criminal enterprises and fourth-offense habitual offender, according to Kent County court records.
“It would be prudent to set this for a pretrial and a trial date and have more fruitful conversations with Ms. Hand,” said Gurumurthy about negotiations with the prosecuting attorney for a possible plea agreement.
A trial conference is scheduled for Jan 21 at 1:10 p.m., and a trial is set for March 19-21.
“On Nov. 15, 2023 shortly before 6 p.m., Mason County corrections deputies were notified of a ‘medical emergency’ in a cell within the Mason County Jail,” stated Mason County Sheriff Kim Cole. “Corrections deputies immediately began life saving measures on the inmate, which included CPR and the administration of NARCAN. The inmate was provided further medical treatment by members of the Ludington Fire Department, Ludington Police Department, Mason County Sheriff’s Office road patrol deputies and Life EMS. Life EMS transported the inmate to Corewell Health Ludington Hospital, and he did survive the incident, making a full recovery.
“Mason County Sheriff’s Office detectives and road patrol deputies investigated this matter and concluded that the inmate had ingested fentanyl.”
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