News Photo by Julie Riddle Accompanied by attorney Rick Steiger, Darrin Clemons, right, speaks to Judge Ed Black in Alpena’s 26th Circuit Court on Thursday.

ALPENA — A Texas man accused of bringing drugs to Alpena to sell will spend five years in prison, a place he has spent most of his adult life, his attorney said on Thursday.

Police arrested Darrin Clemons, 52, and his passenger, Erin Cook, in 2020 after catching the two in a vehicle with methamphetamine and drug distribution paraphernalia.

Clemons pleaded guilty in April to drug distribution and, on Thursday, Judge Ed Black sentenced him to five to 20 years in prison, with 186 days’ credit.

Drug addiction has repeatedly pulled him to criminal activity that landed him back in prison every time he left, Clemons said.

“I’m almost dead, and I haven’t lived,” Clemons told Black, saying he wanted to serve his time and then “lead a good, honest, decent life” for the first time.

Following a sentencing agreement between attorneys, Black sentenced Clemons below the suggested guidelines of at least seven years’ incarceration.

Cook, 47, pleaded guilty to a delivery charge and was sentenced earlier this month to one year in jail, with credit for 163 days.

Clemons said he hopes to marry Cook, recognized by the state of Texas as his common law wife, while serving his current sentence.

Michigan does not recognize common law marriage.