On-site toxins indicate Cass operation largest in state, authorities say

CASSOPOLIS — A rural Cassopolis woman accused of overseeing the state’s largest methamphetamine operation will spend the next six years in prison. On Friday, in Cass County Circuit Court, Judge Michael Dodge handed down a minimum 75-month sentence to Debra Cheatham, 51, who on Feb. 8 entered a guilty plea to 11 charges. She’ll receive credit for 130 days already served in the county jail. Prior to sentencing, Chief Assistant Prosecutor Frank Machnik said the meth operation authorities uncovered in November in the 64000 block of Calvin Center Road was the largest ever found in a single location in Michigan. Evidence discovered at the home and vicinity revealed at least 260 individual "cooks’’ had taken place, he said. Although Cheatham has claimed two co-defendants as well as other people were allowed to cook meth on the premises in return for meth product and money that Cheatham used to pay rent, Machnik argued she spent at least a portion of the money to support a gambling habit. "She got special treatment at the casinos, VIP treatment,’’ he said. He asked that she be sentenced at the high end of the guideline range, pointing to the large amount of toxic waste that posed a threat to groundwater. Defense Attorney James Miller said there’s no doubt his client is a drug addict. Cheatham confirmed that’s the case. "I’ve been addicted for 37 years. ... All I can do is change the future, I can’t change the past,’’ she said, pointing to progress she claimed to have made through drug diversion programs at the jail. Dodge said a 2002 felony conviction Cheatham acquired for possessing crack cocaine didn’t help her cause. He mentioned also that the three defendants in the current case blamed one another but Cheatham occupied the home where the meth was manufactured. Also Friday, a South Bend man who earlier pled guilty to participating in two home invasions was fortunate to avoid a prison sentence. Instead, Dodge sentenced Jesus Coria, 18, to two years probation, with the first 364 days to be served in the county jail. He’ll receive credit for 10 days already served. Machnik said the Prosecutor’s Office was willing to accept the relatively lenient sentence based on Coria’s cooperation in the case against his cousin, Juan Coria, a juvenile who also took part in the break-ins. But Dodge warned Jesus Coria he won’t be tolerant should Coria fail to live up to terms of probation as occurred in South Bend from a previous offense. "If it weren’t for your cooperation, you’d be going to prison today,’’ he said. In addition, Jane Kasper, 50, of Dowagiac, received two years probation, with the first 89 days to be served in the county jail, for stealing four checks from her mother-in-law and cashing them for $1,550. She also was ordered to make restitution. Also, Larry Cleveland, 59, of Union, received his fifth prison term for a drunken driving offense. Despite health problems and a heart operation earlier this month, Cleveland, who according to Machnik has admitted to drinking at least a six-pack of beer a day for the last 40 years, received a minimum 30-month sentence with credit for one day served. Staff writer Lou Mumford: lmumford@sbtinfo.com (269) 687-3551