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Anthony Vella
Man sent to jail for writing $45,000 bad check to buy new car.
#MasonCountyCrime
By Allison Scarbrough, Editor.
LUDINGTON – A 31-year-old Shelby man was sentenced to serve seven months up front of a one-year discretionary jail term in 51st Circuit Court Tuesday, March 5, for writing a bad check totaling over $45,000 to Urka Auto Center to buy a new vehicle.
Anthony David Vella, of 41 Northland Crossing, pleaded guilty to false pretenses $1,000-$20,000 and a charge of meth possession in a separate case last January.
“I went into Urka Auto Center and wrote a check for a vehicle that I did not have money for,” Vella testified.
Vella testified that he was in possession of “less than a gram” of meth regarding his other criminal case.
“The title had not yet been transferred, and the dealership got the vehicle back,” said Mason County Prosecutor Paul Spaniola.
“I would like to publicly apologize to Urka Auto Center,” said Vella. “They didn’t deserve that and treated me very well.” The dealership is located at 3736 W. US 10 in Amber Township.”
“Methamphetamine is a horrible drug,” he said. Vella first tried meth in 2017 and soon his life fell apart. “I lost a good job, and I ended up sleeping in my truck with my dog.”
Vella said he got himself into drug treatment, and it saved his life. “If it wasn’t for Connection Point, I wouldn’t be here. They saved my life.
“I can’t put my family and people in the community through this ever again. I truly am sorry.”
His sentence includes two years probation and $360 in restitution. Sentencing guidelines in the meth case are 0-17 months and 7-23 months in the false pretenses case.
Charges of false pretenses $20,000 or more and uttering and publishing were dismissed in a plea agreement.
Spaniola said Vella has committed false pretenses crimes in other counties.
Judge Susan K. Sniegowski said his drug treatment is “encouraging” to see and she wished him well. He received credit for 115 days served in jail.
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