Man sentenced to 20-80 years in prison for deadly drug deal

A jury found Travis Michael Gale guilty, March 24, of delivery of a controlled substance causing death, delivery/manufacture of methamphetamine and delivery/manufacture of cocaine, heroin or another substance.Gale sold fentanyl to his friend, Emmanuel Rodriguez of Oceana County, April 22, 2023. Rodriguez, who was in his early 40s, died. Gale told Rodriguez that the drug was “some primo killer shit,” said Mason County Prosecuting Attorney Beth Hand during Gale’s sentence hearing Tuesday.

Gale received credit for 181 days in jail. He also received concurrent terms of 20-80 years and 12 ⅔ to 40 years with 321 days credit for the other two convictions.

“This trial was very emotional for the family. What is extremely telling is that Mr. Gale did not accept responsibility. He was motivated by greed. This is an individual who made his living off stealing (possessions) and selling drugs. He was arranging deals of selling fentanyl and methamphetamine. This was occurring on a regular basis. He supplied several other people.”

Gale also pleaded guilty to multiple other charges Tuesday, and his sentences for those crimes are to be served consecutively to the sentence he received Tuesday. He pleaded guilty to: delivery/manufacture of cocaine, heroin or another substance; furnishing contraband in a jail; prisoner in possession of contraband; possession of cocaine, heroin or another substance less than 25 grams; two counts of breaking and entering a building with intent; larceny in a building; and fourth-offense habitual offender.

OCP photo

He is scheduled for sentencing Sept. 16 at 2:30 p.m. Gale will appear in court via Zoom video conferencing from prison, said his attorney Ravi Gurumurthy.

Gale was sentenced to three to 20 years in prison in Kent County, Sept. 18, 2024 for a conviction of conducting criminal enterprises and fourth-offense habitual offender. That prison term will also be served consecutively to the two other cases.

After Rodriguez  died, Gale told a key witness in the case “to keep his mouth shut,” said Hand. “Luckily, Chris Bentley had a conscience” and testified during the trial.

“While the defendant was on bond for criminal enterprise, and continued to sell drugs for profit, and those drugs resulted in the death of another human being – his friend.” Hand asked Judge Susan K. Sniegowski to order a 40-year minimum sentence.

The defense attorney said Gale has a 2 ½ year old child. “All of the offenses happened in a close proximity of time, because he was under the influence of drugs. He is motivated to change,” said Gurumurthy.

“Mr. Gale shook the victim’s brother’s hand and apologized” after the trial. “He cried about Manny dying. These were young guys wrapped up in a drug-infested world. It is a world that just doesn’t make sense to us.

“He has a good family. His brother is here, and his mother was here (in the courtroom). He took responsibility and accountability for his actions,” said Gurumurthy, who asked the judge for a lower sentence. “He’s a nice person, but when he’s under the influence of narcotics, he’s a different person.”

“I would like to take accountability for my actions,” said Gale. He said the prosecutor’s description of his actions as being “calculated” was not correct. “I was on a spiral,” he said. “I wish Manny’s family was here, so I could tell them I am sorry for my actions.” After addressing the court, Gale sat back down and cried.

“Manny is dead and we can’t bring him back,” said Judge Sniegowski. “You’ve been involved with the criminal justice system for about 16 years.” And during that 16-year time span, there were only two years when Gale was not under some type of court supervision. She noted that he has “no substantial work history.

“ You have no real job history, but a significant criminal history. The amount of time (in prison) has to be significant, and it has to change the future.” The judge said her sentence aims to be a deterrent for other drug dealers.

‎“The delivery occurred near Ruby Creek, and the decedent was found in his residence on Washington Road in Oceana County,” Prosecutor Hand said.

About a week later, Gale stole a garden fence April 29, 2023 at the Ludington-area Lowe’s home improvement store. Just months after Rodriguez’s death, Gale furnished fentanyl to another jail inmate who nearly died after taking the drug Nov. 15, 2023. The male victim, who is in his mid 30s, has fully recovered, said Prosecutor Hand.

A Mears resident at the time, Gale was sentenced in Oceana County’s 27th (now 51st) Circuit Court, May 4, 2020 to 18 months to eight years in prison for convictions of heroin possession and third-offense habitual offender. He was sentenced to a prison term of one year and three months to 20 years, Oct. 7, 2013, for a conviction of first-degree home invasion, according to Michigan Department of Corrections records.

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