Mitchell man gets jail for marijuana possession

A 48-year-old Mitchell man was sentenced Tuesday to 30 days in jail for possession of less than 2 ounces of marijuana.

It was the lengthy criminal background of Kelly James Ward that led to the relatively severe sentence for the misdemeanor charge, said Judge Rodney Steele. Ward has three felonies on his record, and another felony charge was dropped in this case in accordance with a plea agreement.

In addition to the jail time, Ward was fined $1,000 with $700 suspended. He was given credit for the nine days he has already served in jail. Ward was given 60 days before he must begin serving his jail time because he is undergoing rehabilitation for a broken leg. He appeared in court Tuesday in a leg brace and wheelchair.

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