FORMER BAY CITY ACADEMY INTERIM SUPERINTENDENT PATRICK CLELAND SET TO TAKE PLEA DEAL IN STALKING, DRUG POSSESSION CASE: Once Expected To Nab Top Spot At Bay City Academy, Cleland Now Scheduled To Appear November 3 In Grand Traverse County's 86th District Court As A Criminal Defendant

Cleland, Twitter image

"It's his job to lose," Lynch said.

Brian Lynch, quoted in April 30, 2015 MLive article on Cleland's pending rise to Bay City Academy Superintendent

Patrick Cleland, who served as principal at the North Central Academy in Mancelona for the past three years, and was in line to take over as Superintendent at that school and the Bay City Academy, is scheduled to appear in Grand Traverse County's 86th District Court on November 3 and expected to plead guilty to stalking.

Arrested on May 25, 2015, Cleland was formally arraigned on September 22 for stalking and attempted possession of a controlled substance analogue. (A “controlled substance analogue” is a substance which is intended for human consumption and is structurally or pharmacologically substantially similar to or is represented as being similar to a Schedule I or Schedule II substance and is not an approved medication in the United States. According to DEA guidelines, a substance need not be listed as a controlled substance to be treated as a Schedule I substance for criminal prosecution.) 

Cleland's attorney, Patrick E. Heintz, appeared with his client in court October 6, and the register of actions reveals a deal was struck, with Cleland pleading guilty to the stalking charge in return for the drug possession charge being dismissed. (Heintz is a partner in the law firm Bishop & Heintz, P. C. Heintz's law partner, Doug Bishop, was the longtime legal counsel for the Grand Traverse Academy Board of Directors. Heintz also represented Cleland back in 2013 when he negotiated another plea deal, keeping Cleland out of jail. Cleland plead guilty to one count of retail fraud-3rd degree and served three days of community service instead of a six day jail sentence.)

The plea notice was formally filed on October 13.


REGISTER OF ACTIONS:

05/25/2015     $2500 PR BOND    
05/25/2015     NOT USE/POSS ALCH/CONT SUB/MEDICAL MARIJ    
05/25/2015     TAKE AND PASS DAILY AM PBT'S    
05/25/2015     IMMEDIATE URINE SCREEN    
05/25/2015     4 TIMES PER MONTH RANDOM URINE SCREENS    
05/25/2015     NO BARS OR PLACE THAT SERVES ALCOHOL    
05/25/2015     NO CONTACT WITH VICTIM    
05/25/2015     NOT TO BE AT THE SAME ADDRESS OR W/IN 500 YDS    
05/25/2015     NO VIOLENT/THREATENING/INTIMIDATING ACTS    
05/25/2015     BE RESPECTFUL TO CT STAFF/CARE PROVIDERS    
05/25/2015     PROVIDE LIST OF PRESCRIPTION(S) TO COURT    
09/11/2015     NOT USE/POSSESS ANY WEAPON OF ANY KIND    
09/11/2015     WARRANT,COMPL, P. REPORT    
09/11/2015     NOTICE/ARRAIGNMENT     09/22/2015
09/11/2015     FINGERPRINT ORDER
09/11/2015     FINGER PRINT CARD FILED    
09/15/2015     MISSED BENCHMARK DRUG SCREEN 5/25/15    
09/15/2015     DRUG SCREEN 5/27/15 FILED    
09/15/2015     RANDOM DRUG SCREEN 6/1/15 FILED    
09/15/2015     RANDOM DRUG SCREEN 6/11/15 FILED    
09/15/2015     RANDOM DRUG SCREEN 6/19/15 FILED    
09/15/2015     RANDOM DRUG SCREEN 6/22/15 FILED    
09/15/2015     RANDOM DRUG SCREEN 7/2/15 FILED    
09/15/2015     RANDOM DRUG SCREEN 7/15/15 FILED    
09/15/2015     RANDOM DRUG SCREEN 7/19/15 FILED    
09/15/2015     RANDOM DRUG SCREEN 7/30/15 FILED    
09/15/2015     MISSED DAILY AM PBTS 8/4, 8/5, 8/6, 8/7 & 8/13    
09/15/2015     MISSED RANDOM DRUG SCREEN 8/5/15 AT LAB 1    
09/17/2015     APPEARANCE FILED-ATTY - HEINTZ    
09/22/2015     NOTICE OF PRE-TRIAL     10/06/2015
09/22/2015     PROOF OF PBTS 5/26-9/22 FILED    
09/22/2015     RANDOM DRUG SCREEN 8/5/15 FILED (SACRED HEART)    
09/22/2015     COURT RECORDER-MARY WENGER-TOWNSEND    
09/22/2015     ARRAIGNMENT HELD-ATTORNEY CVERGROS PRESENT,PLEA:    
09/22/2015     NOT GUILTY,BOND CONTINUED    
09/22/2015     ARRAIGNMENT HELD    
09/25/2015     AMENDED COMPLAINT FILED-CHANGED SENTENCE INFO    
09/28/2015     PROOF OF PBTS 9/23-28 FILED    
10/05/2015     PRE TRIAL ORDER    
10/06/2015     PROOF OF PBTS 9/29-10/5 FILED    
10/06/2015     NOTICE OF PLEA     10/13/2015
10/06/2015     PRETRIAL HELD    
10/06/2015     DEFENDANT APPEAR W/ATTY HEINTZ, PAO HUBBELL OFFERS    
10/06/2015     PLEA TO STALKING W/DELAYED, DISMISS POSSESSION    
10/06/2015     PRETRIAL HELD
10/06/2015     NOTICE OF PLEA     10/13/2015
10/13/2015     COURT RECORDER-MARY WENGER-TOWNSEND    
10/13/2015     PLEA ADJOURNED IN COURT,BOND CONT    
10/13/2015     CASE ADJOURNED    
10/13/2015     NOTICE OF PLEA     11/03/2015
10/14/2015     PROOF OF PBTS 10/6-13 FILED    
10/15/2015     RANDOM DRUG SCREEN 10/14/15 FILED    
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