By Jon King / jking@whmi.com


Sentence has been handed down to a Brighton man who broke into a local church and tried to run from police.

51-year-old Gregory Gontarski pleaded guilty as charged to one count of breaking and entering a building with intent, and three counts of resisting and obstructing a police officer. In exchange for his plea, prosecutors agreed to a minimum sentence of six years in the Michigan Department of Corrections. Last Thursday, Circuit Court Judge Suzanne Geddis sentenced him to 6 to 40 years in prison. Had Gontarski gone to trial and been convicted, he would have faced a minimum sentence of ten years.

Gontarski was charged as a result of the January 12th incident. Green Oak Township Police were called by an employee of the Tri-Lakes Baptist Church on Lee Road after he saw someone on a surveillance camera inside the church's office. When officers arrived at the church, they said Gontarski tried to flee, but was tackled and taken into custody.