A Kent County judge has ordered Cody Jerome Skaggs to serve up to 30 years in prison for a chaotic episode that started as a traffic stop and ended with him barricaded inside a room at a Belmont-area retirement community last fall.
On Tuesday, the 46-year-old was sentenced for a string of felonies tied to an Oct. 30, 2025, high-speed chase, after pleading guilty this spring, according to court records.
Skaggs was admitted to home invasion, breaking and entering with intent, and multiple fleeing-and-eluding and resisting charges, according to WZZM13. The outlet reports the judge handed down a term that could keep Skaggs locked up for decades, citing both the retirement-home barricade and his criminal history.
What Happened In October
Authorities say the trouble started on Oct. 30, 2025, when deputies tried to pull over an SUV. The stop unraveled when the passenger, later identified as Skaggs, slid into the driver’s seat and took off, hitting several uninvolved vehicles as he fled, according to officials.
Deputies tracked the SUV to the River Grove/Oaks area, where Skaggs allegedly smashed a window to get into the retirement building, then barricaded himself inside a second-floor room. He eventually surrendered after negotiators used less-lethal rounds, FOX17 reported.
Sentence, Plea And Other Charges
Local coverage indicates Skaggs pleaded guilty earlier this year to the lead charges just as his trial was about to kick off. Prosecutors also say he is facing a separate case accusing him of attempting to disarm a corrections officer, a distinct charge that could add even more prison time if convicted. Yahoo/13 On Your Side outlined the plea deal and flagged the disarming allegation.
Past Conviction And Parole Status
State prison records show Skaggs was convicted in 1996 of armed robbery and second-degree murder, and was resentenced in June 2023 to a 25 to 75-year term before being paroled in 2024. The Michigan Department of Corrections lists him as an absconder as of July 2025. Michigan Department of Corrections OTIS provides the dates and sentence ranges that prosecutors referenced at this week’s hearing.
Despite the wrecks and the tense retirement-home standoff, authorities say no one was seriously injured in the October chase, though several uninvolved drivers were hit and residents at the complex had to be evacuated. Court filings and local reporting indicate Skaggs will stay behind bars while the state processes his new sentences and any remaining cases play out.
