JONATHAN DUPUIS

IRON MOUNTAIN — An Iron Mountain man convicted of selling methamphetamine from his home as a two-time habitual offender will spend at least four years in prison.

Jonathan Dupuis, 21, was sentenced Wednesday in Dickinson County Circuit Court for the delivery or manufacture of a controlled substance, a felony punishable by up to 20 years in prison. He could be incarcerated for up to 30 years because of multiple offenses.

Dupuis also will serve one year in jail with credit for 237 days served for maintaining a drug house, a high-court misdemeanor with a two-year penalty.

Defense attorney Greg Seibold recommended a minimum sentence of three years in prison, citing Dupuis’ young age, minimal criminal history and struggles with addiction.

“He has a serious substance abuse problem,” Seibold said, mentioning methamphetamine, cocaine, heroin and marijuana. Dupuis eventually sold drugs to support his own addictions, Seibold said.

But Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Alex Sieminski noted thousands of dollars’ worth of methamphetamine and heroin were discovered in Dupuis’ home when arrested Dec. 19.

“Any contention that he was only funding his own abuse at that point is out the window,” Sieminski said, “I think it’s pretty clear he had, for lack of a better term, full-time employment as a drug dealer.”

Dupuis claimed he used 4 to 7 grams of methamphetamine and 1 to 2 grams of heroin a day before his arrest, which amounted to “quite a lot of money at the end of the week.”

“The person I was before was horrible, evil,” Dupuis said, adding, “I don’t want to be that person anymore.”

Though she said she sympathized with Dupuis’ battle with addiction, Dickinson County Circuit Court Judge Mary Barglind stressed he inflicted similar misery and destruction on others as a drug dealer, she said.

“We have to send the message loud and clear to others who are listening, who are watching, who will read about what happened to you,” Barglind said. “Even someone who is 21, with one prior felony, is going to be facing a long-term prison sentence when they start dealing methamphetamine in this community.”

According to the criminal complaint, officers with the Upper Peninsula Substance Enforcement Team traced drugs purchased by a confidential informant Dec. 19 to Dupuis’ home. A search of the residence yielded more than 30 grams of crystal methamphetamine, a large quantity of unknown powders and more than $1,000 in cash.

Dupuis pleaded no contest July 9, claiming he could not recall events connected to his arrest due to being in a motor vehicle collision as well as having a number of drugs his system, including marijuana, LSD and methamphetamine.

In exchange for his plea, Dickinson County Prosecuting Attorney Lisa Richards dismissed a second count of delivery or manufacture of methamphetamine, as well as a separate file in which Dupuis had been charged with the delivery or manufacture of cocaine, heroin or another narcotic — a 20-year felony — as a habitual offender-second.

Additionally, Florence County District Attorney Doug Drexler agreed to dismiss charges against Dupuis in Wisconsin for his plea in Dickinson County.

Richards recommended Dupuis serve a minimum of four years in prison before he would be eligible for parole. She also agreed to forego filing charges against Dupuis’ wife.