RONNEE PIETRANTONIO

IRON MOUNTAIN — A Kingsford man will spend almost three years in prison at minimum for selling heroin to a confidential informant on two occasions.

Ronnee Lee Pietrantonio was sentenced Wednesday in Dickinson County Circuit Court to 32 months to up to 30 years in prison for two separate counts of the manufacture or delivery of less than 50 grams of heroin as a habitual offender-fourth.

The 72-year-old man pleaded guilty at his Jan. 8 arraignment, saying while he had no memory of the controlled transactions, he did not dispute the events or his intent. Laboratory tests confirmed the schedule I controlled substance.

The manufacture or delivery of less than 50 grams of heroin is a felony with a penalty of up to 20 years in prison, though as a habitual offender, Pietrantonio could have served a life sentence.

But at Pietrantonio’s age, defense attorney Daniel Jaspen said, “any sentence could be a life sentence.”

Jaspen asked his client receive a jail term, characterizing him as an addict wanting to take responsibility for his actions.

Dickinson County Prosecuting Attorney Lisa Richards argued a lengthier sentence for Pietrantonio was more appropriate, calling him a career criminal who had been in and out of a cell for 35 years.

Addressing the court, Pietrantonio said he was “ready to clean up.”

“Mr. Pietrantonio, why should I possibly believe that?” Circuit Court Judge Christopher Ninomiya said.

“I don’t lie,” Pietrantonio answered. “I’m ready.”

Although Pietrantonio acknowledged the court had reason to be skeptical, he said he still hoped to be seen as sincere.

“Well,” Ninomiya said, “I don’t believe that.”

Ninomiya detailed the decades of criminal activity and ineffective treatment programs in Pietrantonio’s past.

But for the sentencing recommendations, Ninomiya said he would have put Pietrantonio in prison as long as possible.