PM Township man accused of armed robbery seeking trial.

Routley

PM Township man accused of armed robbery seeking trial.

#MasonCountyCrime.

By Rob Alway, Editor-in-Chief.

LUDINGTON — A Pere Marquette Township man accused of armed robbery and felony firearm has chosen to take his case to trial. Derek Michael Routley, 28, of 5433 W. Johnson Road, appeared in 51st Circuit Court on Tuesday, July 3 and turned down a plea agreement by the Mason County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, according to Prosecutor Paul Spaniola.

Routley was arrested in April after he allegedly pulled a gun on Jarod Smith, 17, of 4716 N. Beaune Road, Hamlin Township, a day or two after an incident that involved an exchange of counterfeit money for marijuana, according to Mason County Sheriff Kim Cole.

Police said the pair planned the marijuana deal. When Routley discovered the money was counterfeit, he pulled a gun on Smith and demanded he give him the marijuana back.

“On Saturday, April 21, 2018, at 12:01 p.m., a male subject attempted to pass $200 in counterfeit $20 bills at Northside Market (6388 E. Bryant Road, Pere Marquette Township)…” Cole said. “A patron in the store witnessed the event and was able to obtain a vehicle registration from the suspect vehicle.

“MCSO deputies were able to track the subject to a residence in Hamlin Township where he was found along with evidence indicating the subject was printing money. While conducting interviews, detectives with the MCSO learned of an alleged armed robbery which had taken place in the City of Ludington on Friday, April 20, 2018.

Smith

“Throughout the day and night on (April) 21st, deputies and detectives conducted interviews and executed search warrants in Hamlin, Pere Marquette and Eden townships. During those search warrants, $1,800 worth of counterfeit money, $200 in cash suspected of being stolen from the Northside Market, and evidence linked to the armed robbery were all recovered.”

Smith was arrested April 21 by MCSO for felonies of uttering and publishing counterfeit money and using a computer to commit a crime and a misdemeanor of marijuana possession. On June 19, Smith pleaded guilty in 51st Circuit Court to a felony of publishing counterfeit money and also to marijuana possession. He testified that he was in possession of 2 grams of the drug.

He admitted to Judge Susan K. Sniegowsk that he was trying to defraud the store by exchanging smaller counterfeit bills for larger bills.

Sentencing guidelines in the case are 0-6 months.

Routley has had previous criminal cases against him. In August 2017 he was arrested by Ludington Police Department for assault and battery, a misdemeanor. The charges were reduced to disorderly jostling and he was sentenced to 90 days discretionary jail time for one year in 79th District Court.

In February 2016 he was found guilty in 79th District Court for the misdemeanor of breaking and entering without owner’s permission and pleaded “no contest” to domestic violence. He was sentenced to seven days in jail with credit for seven days served along with outpatient treatment and 90 days discretionary jail for one year for count 1; and 93 days discretionary jail for one year for count 2. The original charge from Ludington Police Department was felony first degree home invasion, domestic violence and second-offense habitual offender.

In March 2014, he was found guilty in 51st Circuit Court for the felony charge of weapons – taser, possession/sale. He was sentenced to 90 days in jail along with one year probation. One count of first-degree home invasion was dismissed.

Sentencing for Smith is set for Aug. 7 at 2 p.m. A trial date for Routley has not yet been announced.

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