A Niles man has been sentenced on drug and evidence tampering charges.

John Raymond Patterson, 59, pleaded guilty and was sentenced in Berrien County Trial Court to concurrent terms of 3-20 years and 30 months-10 years. He must also pay $266 in fines.

Leader Publications reports his sentence will run consecutive to any penalty for violating parole from a 2021 marijuana conviction. He was paroled in January 2024.

In November, Patterson was caught with over 85 grams of meth in Niles Township and attempted to destroy evidence by chewing and swallowing it.