ESCANABA — One of the two downstate men involved in a shoplifting incident at Shopko that led to a high speed chase in November was sentenced recently in Delta County Circuit Court.

Charles Perkins IV, 27, of 1068 Revere Ln., Kalamazoo, pleaded guilty to retail fraud – first degree. He was sentenced to five months in jail and was given credit for 24 days already served. Perkins was ordered to pay $758 in fines and costs. Perkins and David Michael Brown, the other Kalamazoo man involved, both are responsible to pay $1,634.20 in restitution.

Brown recently appeared in circuit court for a plea hearing. He pleaded guilty to one count of police officer – fleeing – third degree – penal code, one count of retail fraud – first degree and one count of controlled substance – possession of marijuana. Brown also pleaded no contest to two counts of police officer – assaulting/resisting/obstructing. He is still lodged in Delta County Jail on a $125,000 cash/surety bond.

Brown is scheduled to be sentenced in circuit court on March 11.

Escanaba Public Safety Officers were called to the Escanaba Shopko store on a shoplifting complaint at 8:10 p.m. on Nov. 4, 2018. When the officer arrived, he found a vehicle matching the description he was given in the store’s parking lot.

When the officer activated his squad car’s lights, the vehicle with Brown and Perkins inside fled the scene. Officers pursued the vehicle through commercial and residential areas between Shopko and the Escanaba High School. The vehicle then began traveling northbound on North Lincoln Road and failed to stop at all traffic lights.

The chase continued beyond the Escanaba city limit and into Wells and Gladstone. The vehicle was stopped when police used spike strips to deflate its tires at the intersection of U.S. 2 and South Hill Road in Gladstone.

Brown and Perkins were arraigned Nov. 5 in district court and were bound over to circuit court later in November.