At a Glance ...

A (Habeas) Chorus Line presents ‘Uncivilization’

Ticket are available now for A (Habeas) Chorus Line’s public show, “Uncivilization,” to be held Saturday, March 14, at 7:30 p.m. at Royal Oak Middle School, 709 N. Washington in Royal Oak.

Tickets are $16 plus a service fee of $1.79 and are available online through Brown Paper Tickets, habeas.brownpapertickets.com.

For additional information, visit www.habeaschorus.com.


Judge’s disagreement with sentence ends farmer’s plea deal

DECATUR (AP) — A judge has rejected a sentencing deal that carried a five-year cap for fraud committed by a farmer in southwestern Michigan.

As a result, Mike Stamp has withdrawn his guilty plea, and a fall trial has been scheduled in U.S. District Court, MLive.com reported.

“Extensive fraud was committed and multiple steps were taken to recruit others into a fraud scheme that resulted in a loss of $20 million to the banks and federal government that were involved,” U.S. District Judge Paul Maloney said recently.

“The totality and seriousness of this crime is not accurately reflected in such a penalty and I do not believe would adequately deter Mr. Stamp or others from doing something like this in the future, nor is it reflective of respect for the law,” Maloney said.

Stamp had pleaded guilty to conspiracy in a scheme to defraud a government crop insurance program and lenders in Van Buren County.

“Where once the agri-business hailed him as wunderkind, he now serves as a general laborer on a pig farm,” defense attorney Scott Graham said in a Jan. 15 court filing.

Stamp’s wife, Melissa Stamp, pleaded guilty to knowing about the fraud but not reporting it.


Package labeled ‘Bag Full of Drugs’ leads to Florida arrests

MIAMI (AP) — Two men charged with drug trafficking could have done a better job hiding their wares than using a package labeled “Bag Full of Drugs,” Florida authorities said.

Ian Simmons and Joshua Reinhardt, both 34, were pulled over in Santa Rosa County after a trooper clocked them going 95 mph on I-10 on the state’s Panhandle, according to a Florida Highway Patrol arrest report.

The trooper determined that Reinhardt was the subject of an active felony warrant for violation of probation in Orange County. He requested backup.

A Santa Rosa County Sheriff's deputy arrived to assist, and a K-9 alerted to the presence of contraband in the vehicle, the arrest report said.

Authorities found approximately 75 grams of methamphetamine, 1.36 kilograms of the date-rape drug GHB, 1 gram of cocaine, 3.6 grams of fentanyl, 15 MDMA tablets and drug paraphernalia.

Both men were taken into custody and taken to jail.

“Note to self - do not traffic your illegal narcotics in bags labeled ‘Bag Full Of Drugs,’" deputies wrote on Facebook. "Our K-9’s can read.”

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