A man arrested near Mt. Pleasant in 2019 during an investigation into a drive-by shooting that took place in Big Rapids was formally accused of committing three gun-related crimes on Tuesday.
Devin Hayes, 28, was charged with one count each of threatening a witness, a 10-year felony; possession of a gun by a convicted felon, a five-year felony; and using a gun while committing a felony, a two-year felony the sentence for which runs consecutively with the underlying crime.
Hayes was arrested on Feb. 8, 2019, while in the company of Antonio Jones, 28, who was wanted for questioning for a drive-by shooting that took place in Big Rapids on Feb. 1, 2019.
Media reports from the time identified Hayes as a person of interest in the shooting, but that wasn’t the case, said Officer Bill Sell, spokesman for the Big Rapids police department. Hayes just happened to be in company with Jones, who was the actual suspect.
Local police were tipped to Jones and Hayes staying in an apartment at 6426 S. Mission Road. While watching the apartment, Det. Sgt. Chuck Morrison with the Mt. Pleasant Police Department watched Hayes, Jones and an unidentified woman leave the apartment and get into a Dodge Charger, according to a 2019 police report from the incident.
Morrison reported following the car, which eventually turned north on Crawford and pull into the left turn lane at Broomfield, where the light was red. A state police cruiser driving west on Broomfield crossed the intersection.
Immediately, the Charger peeled out on the snow and ice and shot through the intersection headed back north on Crawford, the police report said. It attempted to turn into Chip Village Apartments, but jumped the curb and hit a tree. All three were arrested.
Police searched the apartment and found a 9mm pistol under Hayes’ bed. The serial numbers were scratched off.
Witnesses told police that Hayes carried the gun a couple of days before, and one told police that Hayes told him that he’d shoot him if he finked Hayes out to police.
Hayes was wanted as a parole absconder. State records say he was released in February of this year.
The Isabella County Prosecutor’s Office originally charged him, but then declined to prosecute based on difficulty securing witnesses, said Isabella County Prosecutor Dave Barberi. The office refiled charges Tuesday.
The decision to recharge Hayes and his recent release from prison were coincidental.
Jones is currently serving a prison sentence in St. Louis after pleading no contest to firing a gun towards a building and possession of a gun by a felon.
