March 11--A Wisconsin man is headed to prison after he was convicted of driving under the influence for what authorities said was the ninth time.
Michael Tatera, 54, was found guilty of DUI in January in McHenry County and on Thursday was sentenced to eight years in prison.
Prosecutors had asked for a stiff prison term, calling his driving record "absolutely appalling, absolutely deplorable."
"When is he going to get the point that (driving under the influence) endangers not only himself but everyone else? I implore the court to get him off the streets," Assistant State's Attorney John Gibbons said at Tatera's sentencing.
At his trial, authorities had said that Tatera, a resident of West Allis, outside Milwaukee, had seven prior convictions for DUI in Wisconsin, dating to 1987. Since then, prosecutors said they discovered an eighth prior conviction, also from Wisconsin. Gibbons criticized their Wisconsin counterparts for allowing Tatera to retain a legal driver's license with so many alcohol-related offenses on his record.
Tatera's public defender, Angelo Mourelatos, said his client "is a good person" whose "demon is alcohol." Mourelatos also noted Tatera never injured anyone.
Tatera also addressed the court and apologized, telling the judge, "I'm sorry that this case is here." His fiancee, Debra Jones, called him "the best person, best man I have ever known."
Judge Sharon Prather asked Tatera: "Do you recognize that you have a very serious problem with alcohol? ... Why have you not done something about it?"
Tatera said he was in a recovery program but that work often got in the way of his involvement.
Prather said Tatera was a "threat to everyone" when he drinks and drives.
"You are very fortunate you have not already hurt someone," she told him.
Tatera is required to serve 50 percent of his sentence and is to receive alcohol abuse counseling in prison. He will be on mandatory supervised release for three more years. He also must pay $5,000 in court costs.
The McHenry County conviction stemmed from a 2012 traffic stop in Spring Grove in which officials said Tatera drove around a barricade and onto a road that was closed.
Amanda Marrazzo is a freelance reporter.
