Reliable, Trustworthy Reporting, Capturing The Heartbeat Of Our Community
Reliable, Trustworthy Reporting, Capturing The Heartbeat Of Our Community
Sorted by date Results 51 - 75 of 96
A Norfolk woman, who claimed there was not enough evidence to support a burglary charge, was back in the Antelope County district courtroom last week to face the charge. The Honorable Mark Johnson, on Oct. 4, overruled a plea in abatement motion filed by Antelope County public defender Patrick Carney, on behalf of 55-year-old Debra F. Jordan. Jordan entered not guilty pleas Oct. 27 to Count I, burglary, a Class 2 felony, and Count II, theft by unlawful taking, a Class 1 misdemeanor. If convicted, Jordan faces up to 20 years in prison on Count...
A Norfolk woman, who was bound over to Antelope County district court on a felony burglary charge is claiming there was not enough evidence to support the burglary charge. Antelope County public defender Patrick Carney, on behalf of 55-year-old Debra F. Jordan, entered an exhibit as evidence and explained the defense’ motion to the Honorable Mark Johnson last Wednesday. Carney told the judge, as an employee of the convenience store (JB Mart), the defendant had allegedly been given a key and code to the security system, so there was no ...
The Honorable Mark Johnson set Jan. 11, 2022, jury trials for several defendants arraigned during the Sept. 29 session of Antelope County district court in Neligh. Tiffany Beckman, 35, of Neligh faced Johnson on allegations of obtaining Medicaid assistance by fraud between Nov. 1, 2018, and April 30, 2020, (in an aggregate in excess of $1,500) and obtaining Nebraska Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits by fraud between Nov. 1, 2018, and Aug. 31, 2020, (in an aggregate in excess of $1,500. Both charges are Class 4 felonies, and...
Hope M. Petite, 27, of Orchard appeared in the Antelope County district court last Wednesday, Aug. 25, alongside her court-appointed attorney, Martin Klein of Neligh, for pretrial hearing on five counts. Charges included, Count I, second-degree assault, a Class 2A felony; Count II, third-degree assault, a Class 1 misdemeanor; Count III, leaving scene of property- damage accident, a Class 2 misdemeanor and counts IV and V, willful reckless driving, Class 3 misdemeanors. Klein announced a plea agreement. In return for Petite’s guilty pleas to cou...
A Norfolk woman, who was bound over to Antelope County district court on a felony burglary charge is claiming there was not enough evidence to support the burglary charge. Debra F. Jordan was scheduled to face the Honorable Mark Johnson for arraignment on charges of burglary and theft by unlawful taking in the Antelope County district courtroom in Neligh last Wednesday, Aug. 25. Jordan appeared with her court-appointed attorney Patrick Carney of Norfolk. A plea in abatement was filed by Carney on Jordan’s behalf, claiming a “defect in the rec...
The Honorable Mark Johnson handed down two sentences last week when he presided from the bench in the Antelope County district courtroom in Neligh. Michael G. Loy, 51, of Elgin appeared on a conviction of a Class W misdemeanor, driving under the influence of alcohol, less than .15 grams, first offense. Johnson found Loy was not a suitable candidate for probation, that a sentence less than incarceration would depreciate the seriousness of the crime and there was substantial risk Loy would engage in additional criminal activity during a period...
The Honorable Mark Johnson, presiding from the bench at the Antelope County courthouse in Neligh, sentenced three individuals for felony convictions last Wednesday, June 30. Travis D. Mace, 35, of Orchard faced Johnson for sentencing on two crimes committed Jan. 30 in Neligh.On Count II, possession of methamphetamine, a Class 4 felony, Johnson sentenced Mace to 18 months in an institution under the jurisdiction of the Nebraska Department of Corrections, with credit given for 143 days previously served. Mace was sentenced to an additional six...
Tyler J. Napier, 31, currently held at the Antelope County Jail, appeared in front of the Honorable Mark Johnson in the Antelope County district court last week for a pretrial hearing. County attorney Joe Abler made an oral motion for continuance of both the pretrial conference and a jury trial. Johnson sustained the motion. Pretrial is continued to Aug. 25, with the jury trial scheduled Sept. 20. It was noted that an amended complaint was filed by Abler, adding a third count of strangulation to the five original charges. Charges on the...
Plea bargains were announced in two Antelope County district court cases last Wednesday, May 26, when the Honorable Mark Johnson presided from the bench of the courtroom in Neligh. Michael G. Loy, 51, of Elgin faced Johnson for a pretrial hearing on a felony count of driving under the influence of alcohol, (.15 grams or more) and an infraction open container violation. A plea deal was announced. Antelope County prosecutor Joe Abler reduced the felony DUI charge to to a Class W misdemeanor count, DUI, less than .15 grams, first offense, and...
Travis D. Mace, 35, of Orchard appeared in front of the Honorable Mark Johnson in the Antelope County district courtroom in Neligh last Wednesday, for a pretrial hearing. Mace was accused of four counts, Count I, possession of a deadly weapon by a prohibited person, a Class 3 felony; Count II, possession of a controlled substance (methamphetamine), a Class 4 felony; Count III, violation of protection order, a Class 1 misdemeanor; and Count IV, possession of drug paraphernalia, an infraction. A plea agreement was announced. Antelope County...
Charges have been dropped, at least for the time being, against the second of two men arrested for theft of a vehicle that was recovered near Clearwater last fall. Christopher J. Alexander, 23, of Omaha was scheduled to appear for pretrial hearing on the felony count in Antelope County district court last Wednesday, Feb. 24, but the charge was dismissed, without prejudice, by Antelope County attorney Joe Abler on Feb. 22. Bond in the amount of $10,000, 10% cash, filed Oct. 21, 2020, was released. Alexander, who was set for jury trial March 15,...
Ronald E. Frazier, 48, of Neligh faced the Honorable Mark Johnson in the Antelope County district courtroom last Wednesday, Aug. 26, for arraignment on count of making terroristic threats. Frazier faces a possible penalty, if convicted of the Class 3A felony alleged July 6 at a Neligh bar, of up to three years in prison and up to a $10,000 fine, or both. Accompanied by public defender Patrick Carney of Norfolk, Frazier entered a not guilty plea. Pretrial hearing is set Sept. 30, with a jury trial scheduled for Jan. 19, 2021. Bond, in the...
Roger D. Stuckwisch, 78, of Tilden, was convicted of six crimes in a sexual assault case with victims as young as four years of age. Charged with 12 counts of sexual assault of a child, five first degree and seven third degree, Stuckwisch was adjudged guilty by the Honorable Mark Johnson in the Antelope County district court last week, after he pleaded no contest, pursuant to a plea deal, to subjecting six different children to sexual abuse between 2005 and 2016. He was convicted of Count I, as...
The Honorable Donna Taylor presided over an array of cases last Wednesday, stemming from fights, traffic crashes, driving while intoxicated or under suspension, to dog attacks. In a rare move, Taylor chose not to follow a sentencing recommendation county attorney Joseph Abler offered as part of a plea deal. Abler recommended a fine only for Smokie J. Pike, 24, of Kearney, in exchange for Pike's no contest plea to third-degree assault, fight by mutual consent, a Class 2 misdemeanor. After...
Six of seven defendants who faced the Honorable Donna Taylor last Wednesday morning, July 1, when she presided from the bench in the Antelope County court, faced charges stemming from alleged fights. If convicted of their individual third-degree assault, fight by mutual consent charges, they each face a possible fine of up to $1,000, six months in jail, or both, for the Class 2 misdemeanor. Hugo Estrada, 28, and Smokie J. Pike, 24, who resided in Neligh for the past several months, were cited for a May 3 fight at their residence. Pike pleaded...
Justin W. Bennett, 24, formerly of Lancaster, California, currently incarcerated at the Antelope County Jail, appeared before the Honorable Donna Taylor in the Antelope County courtroom Wednesday, June 17, on an extradition request from Los Angeles County, California. Prior to facing the judge, Bennett informed county attorney Joe Abler he intended to request a hearing, to find out what the California charges are about. Documents in possession of Antelope County officials listed allegations by code only. Abler said he had not looked up...
SANDY SCHROTH sschroth@ summerlandadvocate.com Rebecca L. Preister, 32, of Oakdale faced the Honorable Donna Taylor Wednesday, June 3, for a preliminary hearing on a Class 3A felony count of third-degree assault on an officer. Pursuant to a plea agreement with county attorney Joseph Abler, she pleaded guilty to a reduced charge of resisting arrest, a Class 3 misdemeanor. Taylor ordered a presentence investigation and set sentencing Aug. 5. Bond filed May 18, in the amount of $50,000, 10% cash, is continued. According to an affidavit, officers...
The Honorable Donna Taylor sentenced three individuals last Wednesday, May 20, in the Antelope County courtroom, while handling a variety of cases, from city nuisance violations and bad checks to violence and drugs. Mitchell B. Heine, 25, appeared for sentencing on two Class 1 misdemeanor counts, attempted possession of cocaine and attempted possession of hydrocodone, committed in May 2019. Taylor sentenced Heine to fines of $1,000 for each crime and $60 costs of prosecution. Heine pleaded guilty to the amended charges Feb. 19 after reaching a...
A 21-year-old Oakdale man was bound over to Antelope County district court on three felony counts by the Honorable Donna Taylor on Wednesday. Wesley D. Hattula, currently incarcerated, waived his right to a preliminary hearing and was bound over on charges including incest, a Class 2A felony; manufacture of child pornography, a Class 1D felony; and possession of child pornography, a Class 4 felony, all alleged April 21. District court arraignment was set for May 27, before the Honorable Mark...
Douglas D. Carpenter, 43, of Neligh was resentenced, by the Honorable Mark Johnson in the Antelope County district courtroom for a 2017 crime last week. Carpenter admitted violating terms of probation ordered Dec. 19, 2018, pursuant to a plea deal. Johnson revoked probation and sentenced him to 69 days in the county jail on the original count of third-degree assault, committed Sept. 14, 2017, with credit for 30 days previously served. He was remanded to the custody of the Antelope County sheriff to serve the time. The violation stems from Carpe...
Christofer N. Carstens of Oakdale was sentenced to decades behind bars last week. Carstens, who has been in custody since his early June 2019 arrest on felony child abuse charges, after his infant daughter was hospitalized with severe injuries including fractures to her skull and multiple other bones, was sentenced by the Honorable Mark Johnson Wednesday, April 29, in the Antelope County district courtroom. Johnson sentenced Carstens to not less than 30, nor more than 40 years in a facility under the jurisdiction of the Nebraska Department of...
Although several cases were continued until a later date, the Honorable Mark Johnson presided from the bench in the Antelope County district court Wednesday, March 25. Alexander J. Fitzgerald, 28, of Newman Grove appeared for sentencing on a Class 1 misdemeanor count of third-degree assault, committed Aug. 22, 2019, in Tilden. Johnson sentenced him to a $500 fine and $149 costs of prosecution. He was represented by Antelope County public defender Patrick Carney of Norfolk. Dalynna S. Robertson, 49, of Oakdale was also scheduled for sentencing,...
Douglas D. Carpenter, 43, of Neligh, who was scheduled to face the Honorable Donna Taylor for a bench trial in the Antelope County courtroom Monday, March 23, reached a plea agreement with prosecutor Joe Abler. Carpenter had pleaded not guilty in October 2019 to Count I, stalking, a Class 1 misdemeanor; Count II, disturbing the peace, a Class 3 misdemeanor; and Count III, resisting arrest, a Class 1 misdemeanor. Per terms of the agreement, Carpenter pleaded no contest to an amended Count I, criminal attempt – stalking, a Class 2 misdemeanor, a...
William M. Zohner, 63, of Norfolk appeared in Antelope County court March 4, facing the Honorable Donna Taylor for a pretrial hearing on three counts, driving under the influence, aggravated, a Class W misdemeanor, and two infractions, driving left of center and exceeding the speed limit 6-10 mph. A plea deal was announced. In exchange for Zohner’s guilty plea on Count I, the two infractions were dismissed by Antelope County attorney Joe Abler and there was a joint recommendation for a probation sentence. The DUI charge was enhanced due to a b...
Christofer N. Carstens, 21, of Oakdale was found guilty of felony child abuse last Wednesday when he appeared before the Honorable Mark Johnson in the Antelope County district court in Neligh. A plea agreement was reached, resulting in Carstens pleading no contest to the crime in exchange for prosecutor, Joe Abler’s agreement to file no further charges in the case and to recommend no more than 20 years imprisonment at sentencing, which is set April 29. Johnson ordered a presentence investigation report. Accused of injuring his infant d...
