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 746
An Elgin man, who was given a deferred jail sentence by the Honorable James Kube last month, did not show up at the Antelope County Jail on April 28 as ordered. However, Rowdy Burke’s attempt to avoid incarceration failed. Burke, 52, is now in custody. Burke was sentenced by Kube on April 24 to a 24-month probation term with conditions that included 90 days in the county jail, for a Class 4 felony charge of driving under revocation. Sixty days of the jail time were ordered immediately. Burke’s attorney, Martin Klein of Neligh, requested Burke b...
Michael D. Wright, appeared in front of the Honorable Ross Stoffer, in the Antelope County courtroom in Neligh last Wednesday, May 1, for further arraignment on a Class 1 misdemeanor charge of third-degree domestic assault, alleged March 17 in Neligh. Taylor passed the case to Stoffer, alluding to a possible conflict of interest March 20, when Wright, appeared for arraignment. Wright, who had been granted a continuance when he appeared in March, so he could consult an attorney, appeared without one. He waived his right to counsel and, pursuant...
Ronald M. Allision, faced the Honorable Mark Kozisec in the Holt County district courtroom in O’Neill on April 22 for sentencing on two crimes, contributing to the delinquency of a minor, a Class 1 misdemeanor, and delivery of a controlled substance near a playground or school, a Class 2 felony. Kozisec ordered a three-year term of probation. As part of the probation order, Kozisec ordered that Allison may not permit nor allow any unrelated female under the age of 19 to enter his residence at any time while he is present unless such female is a...
Korbin W. Kellum, 19, of Page appeared in front of the Honorable Kale Burdick in the Holt County courtroom on April 16, facing nine counts, two of them felonies. Kellum waived his right to preliminary hearing and was bound over on Count VI, possession of a controlled substance, a Class 4 felony, and Count IX, possession of a firearm while committing a felony, a Class 2 felony. Burdick waived jurisdiction of the misdemeanor and infraction counts to the district court as well. They include Count I, no valid registration, a Class 3 misdemeanor;...
April 24 saw a short criminal docket in the Antelope County district courtroom in Neligh. The Honorable James Kube sentenced two individuals, sustained a motion to withdraw a not guilty plea and two motions to continue. Haiden Sleister, 22, who was ordered by Kube to reside at the Norfolk Rescue Mission when he appeared in March, admitted violating provisions of post-release supervision as part of a plea deal with Smith. In return, the prosecutor recommended one year of incarceration. Kube revoked Sleister’s PRS and sentenced him to a o...
Cassandra Howell, who was in the custody of Antelope County sheriff Bob Moore, admitted violating terms of her probation when she faced the Honorable James Kube in the Antelope County district courtroom in Neligh last Wednesday, Jan. 31. She also admitted failing to appear at a hearing last October. Howell waived her right to counsel, expecting to be resentenced that day, to time already served. However, Kube insisted a report be prepared by an officer with the Nebraska probation office before he will pass sentence. “You may be sentenced to tim...
Dreidy M. Macias Vega, 29, of Atkinson appeared in front of the Honorable Kale Burdick April 16 in the Holt County courtroom in O’Neill, for an entry of plea hearing on two counts, willful reckless driving, first offense, a Class 3 misdemeanor, and possession of an open alcohol container, an infraction. Pursuant to a plea agreement, Macias Vega pleaded guilty to an amended Count I, reckless driving, still a Class 3 misdemeanor and Holt County attorney Brent Kelly dismissed Count II. Burdick fined Macias Vega $500 for the Jan. 16 offense and t...
Shane Sleister, 49, (in custody), appeared in the Antelope County courtroom in Neligh last Wednesday, April 17, for sentencing in two similar cases. The Honorable Donna Taylor sentenced Sleister to terms in the Antelope County Jail on each of two charges in each case. In the first case, committed Sept. 20, 2023, Sleister was committed to the Antelope County Jail for 60 days on Count I, obstructing a peace officer, a Class 1 misdemeanor, and 10 days on Count II, driving under suspension, a Class 3 misdemeanor, and he was taxed $1 costs....
An elderly Tilden man was sentenced in the Antelope County courtroom in Neligh last Wednesday, April 17, to a one-year term of probation for violating a domestic abuse protection order. The protection order was issued April 13, 2022, and renewed April 13, 2023, in Boone County district court, with the 90-year-old man’s former spouse listed as the protected party. She alleged mental and physical abuse. Antelope County attorney Joe Smith said Nebraska probation officials recommended jail in a presentence investigation report. He said a mental h...
Timothy J. Johnson, 48, Stuart, waived his right to a preliminary hearing and was bound over to the Holt County district court when he appeared in the Holt County courtroom, in O’Neill on March 19. He is set for arraignment in the district courtroom April 22. Johnson remains in custody at the Holt County Jail in O’Neill, pending posting10% of $100,000 bond. He is charged with three felonies - delivery of a controlled substance (methamphetamine), a Class 2 felony; possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver (meth), a Class 1C...
James L. Palik, 23, of O’Neill faced the Honorable Kale Burdick in the Holt County courtroom in O’Neill on April 9, for sentencing on nine counts committed Dec. 7, 2023. Burdick sentenced Palik to a 12-month term of probation for attempted possession of a controlled substance (concentrated THC), a charge that was reduced from a Class 4 felony, pursuant to a plea agreement. As part of the probation conditions, he was ordered to serve 24 days in the Holt County Jail unless waived; obtain a chemical dependency evaluation and complete any tre...
Andrew F. Clark, 57, of O’Neill was sentenced by the Honorable Kale Burdick in the Holt County courtroom in O’Neill on April 2, for crimes included in two cases. He was sentenced to consecutive 30-day sentences in the Holt County Jail for criminal mischief, $1,500 to $4,999, a Class I misdemeanor, and second-degree criminal trespass, a Class 2 misdemeanor that took place July 23, 2023. He was credited for nine days previously served. In a companion case, that led to the second of his two bond revocations in the first case, Burdick fined Cla...
A plea agreement was initiated in the Antelope County courtroom in Neligh last week, prior to a Beatrice man’s arraignment on March 28 charges. Christopher A. Palmer, 29, pleaded guilty to Count I as charged, obstruct a peace officer, a Class 1 misdemeanor; and an amended Count II, drive under suspension, a Class 3 misdemeanor. Antelope County prosecutor Joe Smith reduced Count II from a Class 2 misdemeanor, driving under revocation, and dismissed counts III and IV, no proof of financial responsibility and unlawful/fictitious display of p...
Koda Fernau, 20, of Neligh was an 18-year-old Summerland High School student when he made comments on a school bus and at a Neligh workplace in September 2022, comments that resulted in his arrest on a felony terroristic threat charge. According to arrest affidavits, while riding on a Summerland bus Sept. 2, 2022, Fernau commented about purchasing a firearm and, while at work on Sept. 9, threatened to “shoot up” a Summerland bus. Fernau pleaded guilty early this year to a Class 1 misdemeanor charge of third-degree assault (threaten another in...
County court cases in Antelope County are routinely heard by the Honorable Donna Taylor, one of three county court judges presiding from benches in the Nebraska’s Seventh Judicial District. Last week, Taylor passed a case to one of her peers. The Honorable Ross Stoffer will travel to Neligh to hear a case involving a former Neligh police officer, Michael D. Wright. Wright is set for further arraignment May 1. Bond is continued at $5,000, 10% cash. Referring to previous work through Antelope County involving Wright as an officer, county p...
Two defendants who are accused of absconding from post-release supervision appeared in front of the Honorable James Kube in the Antelope County district courtroom in Neligh last week. Haiden Sleister denied information to revoke his post-release supervision. Kube set an evidentiary hearing for April 24. He was remanded to the custody of Antelope County sheriff Bob Moore, pending posting of $5,000, 10% cash bond. Sleister’s court-appointed attorney, Brad Ewalt of Norfolk, requested bond modification to personal recognizance. Antelope County a...
Two South Dakota men were sentenced to prison last Wednesday, March 27, by the Honorable James Kube in the Antelope County district courtroom at the courthouse in Neligh. Christopher Barta, 29, Irene, was sentenced for aiding the consumption of a felony. Kube sentenced Barta to one year in a facility under the jurisdiction of the Nebraska Department of Correctional Services, the maximum jail sentence allowed for the Class 4 felony. He must serve at least six months before his mandatory release. Barta received credit for 65 days previously...
A 19-year-old O’Neill man, originally accused of committing 11 crimes last April, was sentenced to prison for five of the offenses last week in the Holt County district courtroom in O’Neill. The Honorable Mark Kozisec sentenced Ethan J. Peterson to imprisonment under the jurisdiction of the Nebraska Department of Correctional Services for a period of 24 months, with credit for 54 days already served, on Count I, possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver, a Class 3A felony; 12 months, with credit for 54 days, on Count II, pos...
Joaquin S. Echeverria, 28, of Brenham, Texas, (in custody) appeared in front of the Honorable Donna Taylor in the Antelope County courtroom in Neligh last week for preliminary hearing. Escheverria is accused of a Class 1C felony, possession of more than 28 grams of methamphetamine, with intent to deliver. Antelope County attorney Joe Smith called Nebraska State Patrol trooper Seth Miller to the stand. Miller testified that Escheverria possessed 74-76 grams of methamphetamine when he was stopped for speeding Feb. 19. Miller also testified that...
Sentencing on a 90-year-old Tilden man’s latest conviction of violating a harassment protection order was delayed last week after court officials discussed his felony charge in Pierce County. The Honorable Donna Taylor granted a defense request to delay sentencing for the third time, in Denis Kerkman’s current Antelope County case, after hearing that a felony charge of violating of the same protection order in Pierce County had been bound over to district court. Local sentencing was previously scheduled Feb. 7 and Feb. 21 and was continued eac...
A 36-year-old O’Neill man is being held in the Holt County Jail on a $1 million bond on charges of sexual assault of a child. Michael L. Ford was ordered held without bond by the Honorable Kale Burdick when he was arrested Jan. 25. Holt County public defender Rod Smith was appointed as counsel. Burdick subsequently sealed the arrest affidavit, citing identifying information regarding a minor victim. He held a bond review hearing Feb. 6, setting bond at $1 million, 10% cash. Bond conditions also include a provision for no contact with the allege...
A 20-year-old O’Neill man was back in the Holt County district courtroom March 11, to be resentenced for crimes committed Aug. 5, 2021, after he admitted violating probation. The Honorable Mark Kozisek revoked probation and resentenced Drake D. Ruegge to 100 days in the Holt County Jail on each of two underlying counts, possession of a controlled substance and third-degree domestic assault, with credit given for 44 days previously served. Provided he loses none of his good time, Ruegge must serve 58 days, less 44 days on Count I and another 5...
Cody L. Kizzire, 38, of O’Neill entered no contest pleas to three charges in an amended complaint when he faced the Honorable Mark Kozisec in the Holt County district courtroom in O’Neill on March 11. Kozisec adjudged Kizzire guilty, as charged, of the three counts committed between April 1 and June 30, 2022. Kizzire had been charged with three Class 1D felony counts of sexual assault of a child. Kelly filed an amended complaint Feb. 12, reducing the charges to Class 2 felonies, sexual assault in the first degree, (subject another person to...
Michelle J. Brigance, 42, of Atkinson appeared in the Holt County courtroom last week to be sentenced for crimes committed April 8, 2023, in O’Neill - Count I, driving under the influence of drugs, a Class W misdemeanor; Count II, refusal to submit to chemical test, a Class W misdemeanor; counts III and IV, possession of drug paraphernalia, infractions; count V, possession of open alcohol container, an infraction; and Count VI, display of fictitious plates, a Class 3 misdemeanor. The Honorable Kale Burdick placed Brigance on a 12-month term o...
An Elgin man, who had moved from Arizona last fall, has learned about icy road conditions and Nebraska law regarding vehicle and driver’s licenses. Tyler S. Zawacky, 30, of Elgin appeared in front of the Honorable Donna Taylor in the Antelope County courtroom in Neligh on March 6 for pretrial hearing on Count I, leaving scene of property-damage accident, a Class 2 misdemeanor; Count II, no proof of financial responsibility, a Class 2 misdemeanor; and Count III, fictitious plates, a Class 3 misdemeanor. Pursuant to a plea agreement with a...
