Man pleads guilty to assault nearly 3 years after drug-related shooting

Laura Fitzgerald, Port Huron Times Herald
·2 min read

A man who was accused in a 2019 drug-related shooting in Algonac pleaded guilty to two counts Thursday.

Ricardo Galan II, of Westland, pleaded guilty to assault with a dangerous weapon and larceny. As a part of his plea deal, armed robbery, second-degree home invasion, assault or intent to do great bodily harm less than murder and three felony firearms charges will be dismissed at sentencing, according to court records.

While Galan was arrested and charged in May 2020, court records show numerous adjournments in his case during the COVID-19 pandemic. St. Clair County Circuit Court Judge Dan Damman also denied a motion to dismiss Galan's case earlier this year after it was discovered the St. Clair County Sheriff Department had reportedly lost a piece of video evidence.

Galan is scheduled for a sentencing hearing at 9:30 a.m. Sept. 14 in front of St. Clair County Circuit Court Judge Dan Damman.

Galan faces a maximum sentence of four years in prison and/or a $2,000 fine.

Matthew Farmer, who testified at Galan's examination hearing, said Galan lured him to a home in the 900 block of Smith Street in Algonac on Nov. 18, 2019, to facilitate an exchange of hemp and marijuana for cash between Farmer and Galan's customer.

Galan and four or five men attacked Farmer inside the home and Farmer was shot. Judging by where Galan was standing in the room and the location of his wounds, it is extremely likely Galan shot him, Farmer said.

St. Clair County sheriff deputies were called to Algonac Fire Department for a person who had been shot. The victim was transported to Ascension River District Hospital in East China Township for treatment, according to the St. Clair County Sheriff Department.

Galan's attorney did not immediately reply to a request for comment.

Contact Laura Fitzgerald at (810) 941-7072 or lfitzgeral@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Port Huron Times Herald: Man pleads guilty to assault nearly three years after drug-related shooting