Two people arrested in November in connection with a man being threatened with a gun were given suspended sentences Tuesday for felony marijuana possession.
Mizani Bailey, 23, and Mikala Brant, 21, both of Mitchell, pleaded guilty to possession of between two ounces and a half-pound of marijuana on March 17 and were granted suspended impositions of sentence Tuesday at the Davison County Public Safety Center.
Both were arrested and charged with aggravated assault and drug offenses on Nov. 10, after police responded to an East Second Avenue residence. Brant was reported to have brought the gun, which was legally registered to Bailey, to him when he was reportedly in fear for his life. Two people alleged Bailey had pointed the gun at one of them.
Brant and Bailey were arrested after police executed a search warrant on the house and found marijuana inside.
Discussion during Tuesday's sentencing hearings indicated there were many variables in the incident, and South Dakota Assistant Attorney General Doug Barnett, who prosecuted the case, said it could have ended with much more serious consequences.
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"You've kind of dodged a bullet here, fortunately more figuratively than literally," Judge Chris Giles said to Bailey.
Giles cited Brant's work with the Abbott House and Bailey's lack of criminal history since moving from Illinois in 2017 among the reasons for granting suspended impositions.
Both Bailey and Brant were sentenced to two years of probation and given credit for four days served in jail. Both were ordered to pay a $750 fine and $106.50 in court costs, as well as $144.50 and $174.50, respectively, in prosecution costs.
