A Manchester man was handed a year's suspended sentence Tuesday in Gloucester District Court for possessing heroin with the intent to distribute.
Judge Joseph Jennings sentenced Michael Kuch, 26, of 11 Mill St., in Manchester, to a year in jail, with the term, suspended for 18 months.
Kuch, who was also charged with heroin possession, pleaded guilty to both counts and, on top of the suspended sentence, was placed on probation until September 2013. Kuch also forfeited $256.99, was fined $140 and was placed in a drug rehabilitation program.
Kuch was also fined $100 for shoplifting after an arrest two weeks ago.
The heroin charges stemmed from an arrest last September, according to court documents.
Police arrested Kuch on Harbor Loop, near the Coast Guard station after an officer saw him on Main Street walking toward Rogers Street.
Police reports stated that two warrants were out for Kuch's arrest, one for assault and battery out of Salem, and driving without a license from Gloucester District Court.
The officer then followed Kuch to Habror Loop, and called other officers for assistance. According to reports, Kuch saw the police cruisers parked at the Coast Guard station and took off running.
As an officer chased him, Kuch threw a small metal canister to the ground. The officer arrested him on the warrant charges, and police found 10 bags of heroin inside the canister.
Officers seized his phone, the heroin and $256.99 in cash.
The shoplifting charges came after police received a call from the Toodleloos toy store on Main Street.
The owner told police that a man in his 20s had stolen several items, and officers viewed a surveillance tape and identified Kuch.
Officers arrested him soon after, and found that he had taken several small stuffed animals, which he said were for a gift for a child.
Steven Fletcher may be contacted at 1-978-283-7000 x3455, or sfletcher@gloucestertimes.com. Follow him on Twitter at @stevengdt.
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