BEATRICE - A prison term has been given to a Beatrice man on two drug cases. 21-year-old Austin Meyn was sentenced Wednesday to 4-to-6 years in prison on a probation violation involving attempted distribution of a controlled substance. He also received a concurrent two-year prison term for a drug possession conviction in a second case.

Meyn had recently been charged with other counts while awaiting sentencing, but Gage County District Judge Rick Schreiner said that was not a factor in sentencing Meyn, Wednesday.

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:10 "part of it"

Meyn could become eligible for parole in about two years. He was given credit for 125 days spent in jail.

Meyn was recently among several people arrested in a drug investigation, dubbed "Operation Claim Staked". In that investigation, a warrant charged him with distribution and possession of a controlled substance.

In a separate case, the progress a Lincoln man has made turning his life around from drug addiction, is allowing him to remain on probation in Gage County cases against him.

District Judge Schreiner admonished Michael May, extending his current probation until May of 2020. He also sentenced him to three years of probation in two other cases.

The violations included attempted drug possession, 3rd-degree domestic assault, attempted burglary and attempted theft.

Defense attorney Andrew Carrothers said May now has a job, has completed drug treatment and is in a halfway house…and attending regular substance abuse meetings.

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:24 "better person"

May acknowledged abusing drugs for fifteen years and never sought help for his addiction. He said he now has a good support system around him.

Judge Schreiner said when he sentenced May in 2017, he had hoped May would turn things around…but then came two more criminal cases.

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:29 "with some people"

The judge cited a probation report that indicated May was doing things to make his life better. Schreiner said he generally sends someone to prison with three open cases like this one, but said he wasn't going to do that this time.

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:16 "to them"

As part of the probation terms, May was ordered to obtain a G-E-D and pay court costs totaling $284.