Reliable, Trustworthy Reporting, Capturing The Heartbeat Of Our Community
Reliable, Trustworthy Reporting, Capturing The Heartbeat Of Our Community
Sorted by date Results 551 - 575 of 762
A Neligh man, who had one of his five counts amended to a felony last month, sees charge returned to a misdemeanor. Pepper W. Marchant, 22, again entered not guilty pleas to five counts alleged Sept. 26 in Neligh, when he met the Honorable Donna Taylor in the Antelope County courtroom last Wednesday, Dec. 2. Marchant was scheduled for pretrial hearing on five counts last month, having previously pleaded not guilty to each of the Class 1 misdemeanors, including assaulting a public safety officer with body fluid; two counts of third-degree...
The Honorable Mark Johnson denied an incarcerated man’s request for an amended sentence when he presided over the Antelope County district court last Wednesday, Nov. 25, in Neligh. Robert Wagle, 36, is currently imprisoned at the Diagnostic and Evaluation Center in Lincoln, under the jurisdiction of the Nebraska Department of Correctional Services. He was sentenced Sept. 30, by Johnson, to serve four to eight years for a Class 2A felony theft conviction. He was given credit for eight days previously served. The sentence was ordered c...
Joel Schrader, 49, of Martell appeared before the Honorable Mark Kozisek in the Holt County district courtroom in O’Neill for sentencing Nov. 23, for crime committed in 2018. Kozisek sentenced Schrader to 24 months incarceration under the jurisdiction of the Nebraska Department of Corrections, to be served consecutive to a sentence imposed in Lancaster County district court. Assuming Schrader loses none of his good time, he must serve 12 months before his mandatory release. In addition, Kozisek ordered 12-months post-release supervision, includ...
The Honorable Donna Taylor sustained several requests for defendants to consult with lawyers when she presided from the county court bench at the Antelope County Courthouse in Neligh last Wednesday. Aluat D. Atem, 42, of Lincoln appeared on a violation of probation charge. She requested a continuance to consult with an attorney, which was granted by Taylor. The hearing is continued to Dec. 2. Atem was sentenced to nine months’ probation, participation in the continuous alcohol monitoring program and required to use an ignition interlock d...
The Honorable Donna Taylor resentenced a Ewing man, whose probation was revoked after he admitted violating its terms, last Wednesday in the Antelope County courtroom in Neligh. Shawn N. Stenka, 37, was sentenced to serve 30 days in the Antelope County Jail, with credit for two days previously served. Taylor revoked his driver’s license for one year, giving him credit for 365 days suspension. Stenka was placed on a 12-month term of probation Nov. 20, 2019, for a conviction of driving under the influence of alcohol. He admitted violations, i...
Shawn A. Buxton, 21, of O’Neill faced the Honorable Mark Kozisek, in the Holt County district courtroom in O’Neill on Nov. 9 for a pretrial hearing on charges of third-degree assault and making terroristic threats. Buxton, who had earlier submitted written not guilty pleas to both counts and waived his right to a physical appearance at arraignment, entered a plea agreement with county prosecutor Brent Kelly. Buxton pleaded guilty to committing the Class 1 misdemeanor assault, in return for Kelly dismissing the felony threat charge. Kozisek sen...
An Orchard man appeared for arraignment in the Antelope County courtroom in Neligh last Wednesday, Nov. 18, facing charges in two separate cases. Andrew J. Clifton, 52, is charged with disturbing the peace, a Class 3 misdemeanor, that is alleged Oct. 27, at his parents’ home in Orchard. According to a probable-cause affidavit filed by Antelope County sheriff Bob Moore, that requested a warrant for Clifton’s arrest, a 911 was received, reporting threatening delusional behavior by the defendant. A warrant for Clifton’s arrest, signed by the Honor...
Antelope County’s annual audit report was released by the Nebraska auditor of public accounts office early this month. Auditors once again advised segregation of duties for the county, overall. The NPA recommended officials weigh the cost to hire additional personnel against the benefit of segregating duties. Drafts of the report outlining auditors’ findings were provided to county officials to review, giving them an opportunity to respond, according to a letter, dated Nov. 2, from Deann Haeffner, assistant deputy auditor. Only one issue ide...
Jeremy J. Mathrole, 40, of Crofton appeared in the Antelope County district courtroom Wednesday, Oct. 28, for sentencing on a count of violating the Nebraska Sexual Offender Registration Act. Mathrole was represented by Antelope County public defender Pat Carney of Norfolk, who commented, “I think this is a lesson for the Legislature,” citing the differences in registry regulations in different states and his client’s travel to multiple states for work. He requested a sentence of time already served, alternately stating Mathrole had the abili...
Gary A. Kallhoff, 55, of Bloomfield faced the Honorable Kale Burdick in the Holt County courtroom in O’Neill last Tuesday, Nov. 10, for sentencing on a charge of driving under the influence of alcohol, 0.15 or higher, second offense, a Class 1 misdemeanor. Burdick sentenced Kallhoff to 30 days in the Holt County Jail, a $1,000 fine and two years probation, including fees totaling $750, and revoked his driver’s license for two years. Kallhoff, who had earlier submitted a written not guilty plea, changed his plea to guilty, pursuant to a ple...
Tiah B. Sweet of O’Neill faced the Honorable Kale Burdick last Tuesday, Nov. 3, on offenses committed Sept. 20. The 39-year-old woman was scheduled for arraignment on three counts Oct. 20, but failed to appear and a warrant was subsequently issued for her arrest. She called the court Monday, saying she forgot the court date, but would appear the following day. She appeared Tuesday, without counsel, for arraignment on Count I, no valid registration, a Class 3 misdemeanor; Count II, no proof of financial responsibility, a Class 2 misdemeanor; a...
A Texas man pleaded guilty last week, by waiver, and paid $200 in fines and costs to the Antelope County court, for 2016 offenses. Daniel G. Sanchez, 31, of Brownsville, Texas, was cited in Clearwater by an Antelope County deputy in September 2016 for no proof of financial responsibility, a Class 2 misdemeanor; no operator’s license, a Class 3 misdemeanor; and speeding, 10 miles per hour over the posted limit, an infraction. He was given a court date of Oct. 5, 2016, which he failed to keep. A warrant was issued for his arrest and was r...
"You say you are not a monster. You are wrong. You are." Those were words the Honorable Mark Johnson had for Roger D. Stuckwisch in the Antelope County district courtroom last Wednesday morning, before he passed sentence on the former Tilden resident who was convicted of six crimes in a sexual assault case with victims as young as four years of age. Stuckwisch was sentenced to the Nebraska Department of Corrections for not less than 30 years, nor more than 40 years on his conviction of...
Two defendants arrested near Clearwater on Sept. 29, accused of theft by receiving stolen property, $1,500-$4,999, related to a stolen Suburban, had their bonds reduced by the Honorable Donna Taylor last week They waived their rights to preliminary hearings when they faced Taylor in the Antelope County courtroom and were bound over to Antelope County district court. Both were set for district court arraignment Oct. 28. Christopher J. Alexander, 22, of Omaha, was accompanied by his court-appointed attorney, Martin Klein of Neligh. Klein asked...
Robert M. Gotschall, 35, of Atkinson was sentenced to an 18-month term of probation by the Honorable Mark Kozisek, in the Holt County district court at O'Neill on Monday. Gotschall was originally charged in county court with a Class 3A felony count of abusing a vulnerable adult. He pleaded guilty to a Class 1 misdemeanor, third-degree assault when he appeared for arraignment in district court Aug. 31, pursuant to a plea deal with Holt County prosecutor Brent Kelly. The offense was committed May 4 in Atkinson, when Gotschall struck an elderly...
Christopher L. Beltz, 33, of Plainview faced the Honorable Donna Taylor in the Antelope County court last Wednesday, Oct. 21, without counsel, on a Class 1 misdemeanor count of child abuse/neglect, alleged Aug. 17. Beltz requested a continuance to allow retaining an attorney. Taylor granted the request and set further arraignment for Nov. 18. If convicted, Beltz faces a penalty of up to $1,000 and/or one-year incarceration, in addition to possible restitution. Three Elgin men, who faced Taylor on charges stemming from a fight at 306 Pine...
Rebecca D. Strong, 56, of Stuart, appeared before the Honorable Kale Burdick in the Holt County courtroom Tuesday, Oct. 20, accused of a Class 2 misdemeanor, theft by deception. Strong pleaded guilty to obtaining by deception, between Jan. 1, 2006, and Dec. 31, 2010, three Liberty half dollars, having a value of $200 or less. The complaint was filed Oct. 1 this year. Burdick fined Strong $100 and taxed her $50 cost of prosecution. Ross A. Gribble, 21, of O’Neill pleaded guilty, by waiver, to a count of fur harvest/possess fur without a p...
Antelope County court proceedings got off to a late start last Wednesday, Oct. 21, due to the county prosecutor being involved in a Nebraska Tax Equalization and Review hearing, remotely, with other county officials. Once county attorney Joe Abler arrived in the courtroom, the Honorable Donna Taylor and the court staff worked through a lengthy docket in short order, finishing with criminal cases by about 11 a.m. Fernando J. Hernandez, 36, of Fremont faced Taylor with his attorney, Dennis Morland of Norfolk, for further arraignment of a Class W...
David A. Carr, 25, of O’Neill was sentenced to serve 90 days in the Holt County Jail by the Honorable Mark Kozisek, during Holt County district court proceedings, Monday, Oct. 19. Carr was given credit for 23 days previously served. Providing he loses none of his good time, he must serve 30 days before his mandatory release. He was remanded to the custody of Holt County sheriff Ben Matchett. Carr was convicted Aug. 11 of a Class 4 felony, committed in November 2019, attempted failure to register under the Sex Offender Registration Act, p...
Two defendants were bound over to Holt County district court by the Honorable Kale Burdick when he presided over Holt County court last Tuesday, Oct. 13. Andrew F. Clark, 53, of O’Neill appeared before Burdick in two separate cases. The first case included two counts alleged June 16 in rural Holt County, second-degree trespassing, a Class 2 misdemeanor; and criminal mischief, less than $500, a Class 3 misdemeanor. He pleaded not guilty to both counts and pretrial is set Nov. 17. The second case includes two felony counts alleged July 16, p...
An Antelope County district court civil case has been rescheduled, after a mistrial was called by the Honorable Mark Johnson on Monday, Oct. 5. The case, brought by plaintiff Jennie Schrage of Clearwater, individually, and as administrator of the estate of Cyril Schrage, deceased, was originally filed by the Schrages' attorney Jason Ausman of Ausman Law Firm in Omaha on Feb. 12, 2018, prior to Cyril Schrage's May 29, 2018 death. An amended complaint was filed Sept. 28 by Ausman. Defendants are...
The Nebraska Auditor of Public Accounts released results of Holt County’s annual audit late last month. The report covers July 2019 through June 2020 and includes numerous areas of concern for internal control that were listed in a letter sent to the county board of supervisors Sept. 25. The report is a matter of public record and is posted on the APA’s website. Deann Haeffner, APA assistant deputy auditor, noted in the letter that the report is “critical in nature” as it addresses areas noted for improvement and does not include observa...
A 55-year-old O’Neill man waived his right to preliminary hearing when he faced the Honorable Kale Burdick in the Holt County courtroom last Tuesday, Oct. 5, and was bound over to Holt County district court on a charge of first-degree sexual assault. Ronald J. Ross Jr. is scheduled to appear for arraignment in the district courtroom Nov. 9, on the Class 2 felony, alleged between March 2008 and March 2009. The complaint was filed by Holt County attorney Brent Kelly last month. Ross is represented by Bergan E. Schumacher and the firm Bruner F...
Two defendants faced the Honorable Donna Taylor in the Antelope County courtroom in Neligh last Tuesday, Sept. 29, on charges related to a stolen vehicle that was recovered near Clearwater on Sept. 20. Antelope County deputy Cameron Lehr was pulling out of Hi-Way Mart while on patrol Sept. 20, when he observed an unplated GMC Suburban passing another vehicle. Lehr conducted a traffic stop outside of town on Highway 275. The driver, Christopher J. Alexander, 22, of Omaha told the deputy he had not had time to license the vehicle due to...
A South Carolina man who has been jailed in Nebraska since last December, was sentenced to serve not less than four, nor more than eight years in a facility under the jurisdiction of the Nebraska Department of Corrections for a crime committed in Antelope County. Accompanied by public defender Melissa Figueroa of Norfolk, Robert Wagle was handed the sentence in the Antelope County district courtroom Sept. 30 by the Honorable Mark Johnson. In an allocution statement, Figueroa told Johnson her client thought the vehicle belonged to his employer,...
