MANISTIQUE - A Gladstone woman was sentenced Thursday to up to 20 years in prison on a charge of operating a methamphetamine lab in a vehicle last fall, according to officials at Schoolcraft County Circuit Court.
Michelle Lee Sloboda, 33, was sentenced from 30 months to up to 20 years in prison on the controlled substance charge of operating a meth lab, second or subsequent offense. She pleaded guilty to the charge last month.
The charge stems from an Oct. 9, 2011, incident in Manistique when Sloboda was operating a vehicle on Tannery Road and troopers attempted to stop the car for a traffic violation at around 3:15 a.m. After a brief chase, Sloboda pulled over for police.
A passenger in the vehicle, Danny Elliot Springer, 40, formerly of Plainwell, fled on foot and was apprehended shortly after. Troopers confiscated evidence for making methamphetamine from inside the car.
Last month, Springer pleaded guilty to operating a meth lab in a vehicle. He is scheduled to be sentenced in circuit court on March 8. He remains lodged in Schoolcraft County Jail in lieu of a $100,000 bond.
In addition to Sloboda's prison term, she was given credit for 123 days already served in the county jail. She was ordered to pay $3,685 in fines and costs.
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Jenny Lancour, (906) 786-2021, ext. 143, jlancour@dailypress.net