Kenneth E. Lapham

Kenneth E. Lapham, 35, of Otsego, was sentenced Monday in Allegan County Circuit Court to 10 years in prison in connection with a crime spree in Watson Township.

Lapham had faced multiple felony charges for breaking into three homes in Watson Township in August 2016, stealing cars, money, handguns and food and beating up his girlfriend accomplice, a 22-year-old woman from Martin.

Lapham was sentenced by visiting judge Wesley Nykamp, who was sitting in for former Circuit Judge Kevin Cronin, who abruptly retired Jan. 12.

Edwin Johnson III, Lapham’s lawyer, said the crimes were the result of abuse of meth. He added Lapham, who has been incarcerated since his arrest Aug. 4, 2016, has undergone drug abuse treatment and is making progress.

Lapham told the court he has turned his life over to the Lord.

Prosecutors said Lapham was guilty of abusing his girlfriend, Haley Jenkins of Martin before, during and after the incidents.

Lapham admitted he stabbed her, threw her into a cupboard, kicked her and stopped her from escaping. He apologized to his former girlfriend and all other victims in the case.

Haley Jenkins

Lapham was sentenced to 10 to 30 years in prison for first-degree home invasion as a second habitual offender, 21 to 90 months in prison for unlawful driving away a motor vehicle and 24 to 90 months for possession of a firearm by a felon as a second habitual offender.

He also was ordered $9,908.32 in restitution and was given credit for 538 days already served in jail..

In exchange for guilty pleas, Lapham had multiple felonies dropped, including one count of home invasion, another one of unlawfully driving away a motor vehicle, two counts of felony firearms and two counts of larceny of a firearm.

Jenkins originally was charged in the case, but in a plea agreement had the charges dropped and not have a criminal record if she successfully completed probation.

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