HILLSDALE — A Hillsdale man arrested Jan. 9 at the scene of an arson-turned-armed standoff appeared in the 1st Judicial Circuit Court Monday for sentencing after being convicted by a jury this summer of two counts of resisting/obstructing a police officer.
On July 12, the jury found Richard Vernon Kelley, 41, not guilty of second-degree arson, carrying a weapon with unlawful intent, possession of a weapon while intoxicated and arson of personal property less than $1,000 while convicting him of the two counts of resisting arrest.
With advisory sentencing guidelines set at 0-17 months, Hillsdale County Chief Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Jamie Wisniewski requested the court apply a consecutive sentencing to the case.
“This situation could have gone very, very wrong,” Wisniewski said.
Kelley argued that while the initial contact with police could be considered confrontational, he did eventually open a gate on his property and was unarmed when he was finally apprehended.
His arrest stemmed from a structure fire turned armed gunman situation Jan. 9 at 3000 Squawfield Rd. in Jefferson Township where he resides.
The bizarre incident was first reported just after 9 p.m. Jan. 9, when the Jefferson Township Fire Department was dispatched to a fully engulfed camper fire at the intersection with Grass Lake Road, about three miles east of M-99 (Pioneer Road).
As firefighters arrived on scene, an urgent request was sent out for police to respond to the location for an unruly man acting strange.
When police arrived, troopers observed the man acting bizarre and carrying a firearm.
He reportedly continued to go in and out of a nearby home making threats to kill the troopers and acting strange.
Kelley eventually peacefully surrendered to police and was taken into custody.
“I feel that some of my rights as a property owner were infringed upon,” Kelley argued Monday.
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Kelley’s attorney, Elias Muawad, argued that Kelley was under emotional distress on Jan. 9 with the anniversary of the passing of his daughter and that he had been undergoing mental health treatment at LifeWays Community Mental Health since his arrest.
“All of the components were there for this to have been much, much worse,” Lisznyai said.
Imposing sentencing, Lisznyai placed Kelley on probation for two years and ordered no further jail time and $1,026 in fines and costs.
— Contact Reporter Corey Murray at cmurray@hillsdale.net or follow him on X, formerly Twitter: @cmurrayHDN.
This article originally appeared on Hillsdale Daily News: Hillsdale man charged in armed standoff sentenced
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