By Jenny Lancour
ESCANABA - An Escanaba man was sentenced Thursday to nine months in the county jail in connection with a break-in in Escanaba Township last fall.
Joshua Nelson, 28, pleaded guilty to breaking and entering without breaking with intent in Delta County Circuit Court last month. Judge Stephen Davis sentenced him to the nine-month jail term Thursday. He was given credit for two days already served in jail.
"Your attorney said you need to get your life back on track," said Davis, commenting, "Your life has never been on track."
Nelson chalked up his 26th offense with the recent conviction, noted Davis. Two additional counts of breaking and entering a building with intent as well as an habitual offense charge were dismissed during his plea hearing in June.
The charges stemmed from a Nov. 3, 2011, incident in Escanaba Township. Nelson admitted he entered a storage shed and stole several items from Stropich Concrete Company on County Road 426.
Items included iron train engine parts, according to Michigan State Police from the Gladstone Post, the investigating agency. The stolen property has since been recovered.
During sentencing Thursday, Nelson was also ordered to pay $598 in fines and costs and $410 in joint restitution with co-defendant Jeremy Thomas Waller, 23, of Escanaba.
Earlier this year, Waller pleaded guilty to attempted larceny in a building and pleaded guilty to receiving and concealing stolen property worth $200-$1,000. He was sentenced to four months in jail on each count and was credited for 61 days already served. Waller was ordered to pay $728 in fines and costs, as well as the joint restitution.