Reliable, Trustworthy Reporting, Capturing The Heartbeat Of Our Community
Reliable, Trustworthy Reporting, Capturing The Heartbeat Of Our Community
Sorted by date Results 76 - 100 of 253
Michael Hansen, 36, of Stanton appeared in front of the Honorable Donna Taylor in the Antelope County courtroom in Neligh on Feb. 16, for pretrial hearing on a charge of obstructing government operations, a Class 1 misdemeanor. In an unusual interpretation of the charge, Antelope County attorney Joe Smith amended the charge to second-degree trespassing, a Class 3 misdemeanor, and recommended a fine only at sentencing, in return for Hansen’s guilty plea. The charge had a potential penalty of up to a $500 fine and/or 90 days in jail. Taylor f...
The Honorable Donna Taylor bound five felony cases over to district court when she presided from the Antelope County court bench at the courthouse in Neligh on Feb. 15. Michael J. Mueller, 26, of Clearwater appeared in front of Taylor for a preliminary hearing on multiple first-degree sexual assault charges, Class 2 felonies alleged in two separate cases involving separate minor victims. Antelope County attorney Joe Smith requested the cases be combined. “They are related,” he said. There was no objection from Mueller’s attorneys. He is repre...
Barbara Youngblood, 42, O’Neill, appeared in front of the Honorable Donna Taylor in the Antelope County courtroom in Neligh last week for a pretrial hearing on Count I, third-degree assault, a Class 1 misdemeanor, and Count II, disturbing the peace, a Class 3 misdemeanor, both alleged Set. 24, 2022. “I would like to go to trial,” Youngtree told the judge. Taylor set the case for jury trial March 27 and issued instructions to attorneys. A status report filed by Antelope County atorney Joe Smith in January estimates trial will last one to two d...
Morgan K. Anson, 24, Orchard waived her right to a preliminary hearing when she appeared in front of the Honorable Donna Taylor in the Antelope County courtroom in Neligh on Feb. 1. Anson is charged with a Class 2A felony, theft by receiving stolen property and three Class 4 felonies, possession of methamphetamine, operating a motor vehicle to avoid arrest and possession of burglar tools, all alleged Dec. 9, 2022. Taylor bound the case over to the Antelope County district court, where arraignment is set Feb. 22. The judge further ordered that...
Ron Crumly, 74, Page, appeared in front of the Honorable Donna Taylor in the Antelope County courtroom in Neligh on Feb. 1, for arraignment on Class 4 misdemeanor alleged March 1, 2022, violation of statewide burn ban. Crumly waived his right to counsel and pleaded guilty. Taylor set sentencing for March 1. Sarah J. Ward, 46, of Oakdale faced Taylor on Class 4 felony, possession of controlled substance (methamphetamine) alleged Jan. 4. Ward requested court-appointed counsel. Taylor appointed Antelope County public defender Pat Carney and set...
Joseph McNally appeared in the Antelope County court in Neligh, as prosecutor in cases involving violations to a Village of Orchard ordinance. Three defendants were recently charged with maintaining dangerous buildings in the village, alleged in November 2022. Jennifer L. Trease, 54, of Orchard appeared for arraignment on the misdemeanor violation Feb. 1. She waived her right to counsel, pleaded no contest and was found guilty by the Honorable Donna Taylor. Sentencing is set May 3. Jay Pettijohn, 63, of Royal did not appear for his...
A second felony sexual assault complaint has been filed by deputy Antelope County attorney Joe Smith against a Clearwater man. Michael J. Mueller, 26, of Clearwater appeared in front of the Honorable Donna Taylor in the Neligh courtroom Wednesday, Feb. 1 for a preliminary hearing on first-degree sexual assault, a Class 2 felony alleged Christmas night. An oral motion to continue by Mueller’s attorney, Martin Klein of Neligh, was granted by Taylor. Mueller also faced the judge for arraignment on another count of first-degree sexual assault, a...
A 25-year-old Norfolk man had his first court appearance last week on allegations of theft, criminal mischief and trespassing at a rural Clearwater location. Benjamin T. Smith faced the Honorable Donna Taylor in the Antelope County courthouse in Neligh on Feb. 1, for arraignment on three counts alleged Jan. 6, about eight miles northeast of Clearwater, at 85824 519 Avenue. Smith’s charges include: Count I, theft, 0 - $500, a Class 2 misdemeanor; Count II, criminal mischief, 0 - $500, a Class 3 misdemeanor; and Count III, second-degree t...
The third juvenile involved in the Aug. 28, 2022, theft of an all-terrain vehicle from Big Red Motorsports in Neligh, was adjudicated by the Honorable Donna Taylor in the Antelope County courtroom in Neligh last week. The female juvenile was ordered to serve a nine-month term of probation and pay $49 costs of prosecution. She was driving the ATV, lost control and hit a mailbox, resulting in one of the other youths being pinned under the ATV with non-life-threatening injuries. Another female juvenile was adjudicated Aug. 31, 2022, placed on 18 m...
Two defendants were arraigned in the Antelope County courtroom in Neligh recently, while, in the wake of a pending winter storm, many either had their appearances continued to February or just didn’t show up. One defendant had his case dismissed. Austin R. Bertschinger, 30, of Oakdale appeared in front of the Honorable Donna Taylor on Jan. 18 for arraignment on a count of possession of tramadol, a Class 4 felony alleged Dec. 10. Bertschinger requested court-appointed counsel. After holding an indigency hearing, Taylor appointed Antelope C...
A Clearwater man has been charged with sexual assault of a female juvenile shortly after midnight on Christmas. Michael J. Mueller, 26, of Clearwater faced the Honorable Donna Taylor in the Antelope County courtroom in Neligh on Jan. 18, for arraignment on first-degree sexual assault. Mueller, who is represented by Martin Klein of Neligh, requested a preliminary hearing on the Class 2 felony charge. Taylor set the hearing Feb. 1. Bond posted Jan. 4, in the amount of $250,000, 10% cash, is continued. Bond includes a condition for no contact,...
Jake R. Short, 22, of Meadow Grove appeared in front of the Honorable Donna Taylor in the Antelope County court in Neligh on Jan. 18, alongside Antelope County public defender Pat Carney, to be sentenced for second-degree forgery, a Class 2 misdemeanor committed nearly one year ago. Taylor fined Short $200 and assessed $50 costs. Restitution of $433.73 had been paid and a second forgery count was dismissed by deputy Antelope County attorney, Joe Smith, as agreed to by the late county attorney, Joe Abler, in an October 2022 plea agreement....
Aaron C. Poellot, 39, of Osmond was sentenced in the Antelope County courtroom in Neligh on Dec. 28, for the May 2 theft of gasoline from a Royal convenience store. Poellot appeared, alongside Antelope County public defender Pat Carney of Norfolk, before the Honorable Donna Taylor on Wednesday for pretrial hearing on a charge of theft by unlawful taking. Madison County attorney Joe Smith served as prosecutor. A plea agreement was announced, which included Poellot changing his plea to guilty and agreeing to pay restitution, in return for...
The case of a Clearwater teenager, who is accused of making terroristic threats last fall regarding a Summerland Public School bus, has been bound over to Antelope County district court. Koda K. Fernau, 18, of Clearwater waived his right to preliminary hearing, on a Class 3A felony count of making terroristic threats, when he appeared in front of the Honorable Donna Taylor on Dec. 28. Two misdemeanor counts of disturbing the peace were dismissed, without prejudice, by prosecutor Joe Smith. Fernau’s $25,000, 10% cash, bond is continued. He w...
Five of seven defendants who were set for arraignment Dec. 7 faced the Honorable Donna Taylor in the Antelope County courtroom in Neligh. Two others were truant. Madison County attorney Joe Smith represented the state as prosecutor. Smith said he was covering for Antelope County attorney Joe Abler, who was absent due to illness. “I am not sure how long that illness will last,” Smith said. Roland Hurtig, 61, of Orchard appeared for arraignment on Count I, a Class W misdemeanor, driving under the influence of alcohol, second offense; and two inf...
Koda K. Fernau, 18, of Clearwater appeared in front of the Honorable Donna Taylor on Dec. 6, beside his court-appointed attorney Ryan Stover of Norfolk, for a status hearing on a felony count of making terroristic threats and for arraignment on two misdemeanor counts of disturbing the peace. Stover asked for a continuance, “not out very far…Koda has been in the Antelope County Jail since September.” He then asked for review of Fernau’s $25,000, 10% bond. “I am sure he would like to be home with his family for Christmas. His mom agreed to...
The Honorable Donna Taylor ordered probation for an Oakdale man, revoked probation for another and continued sentencing for a third, when she presided from the bench of the Antelope County court in Neligh last week. Matthew J. Wright, 48, of Oakdale appeared in front of Taylor on Nov. 16 for sentencing on two Class 1 misdemeanor counts of first-degree assault committed July 2 in Oakdale. Antelope County attorney Joe Abler asked Taylor to follow recommendations in a presentence investigation report made by the Nebraska probation office -...
Presiding from the bench of the Antelope County court in Neligh on Nov. 2, the Honorable Donna Taylor bound two defendants over to the Antelope County district court on felony charges and handed down sentences to several individuals for misdemeanor convictions. Brent A. Jonas, 45, and Christina M. Jonas, 37, of Sioux City Iowa, were both scheduled for preliminary hearings. They both waived their rights to the hearings. Taylor bound the cases over to the district court, where they are scheduled for arraignment Nov. 30. They each face two counts...
Edward D. Lundstrom, 65, of Stanton appeared in front of the Honorable Donna Taylor in the Antelope County court in Neligh on Nov. 2, for arraignment on allegations of a two-year old crime. He is charged with a Class 2 misdemeanor charge, second-degree trespassing, alleged Nov. 18, 2020. If convicted, Lundstrom faces up to a $500 fine and/or up to 90 days in jail. He pleaded not guilty and requested jury trial. Pretrial hearing is set Dec. 7. Bond posted Oct. 17, in the amount of $1,500, 10% cash is continued. Lundstrom had failed to appear for...
Simon M. Beacom, 20, of Omaha appeared in front of the Honorable Donna Taylor in the Antelope County courtroom in Neligh last Wednesday for pretrial conference on two Class 3 misdemeanor counts alleged June 24, minor in possession of alcohol (age 19/20) and misrepresenting his age to obtain liquor, as well as a count of violating probation that was ordered for his conviction of similar offenses last spring. On his behalf, his attorney, Martin Klein of Neligh, asked Taylor to set a bench trial date, indicating Beacom waived his right to jury...
The Honorable Donna Taylor passed sentence on two individuals and denied requests from a woman sentenced earlier in the year when she presided from the bench of the Antelope County court in Neligh on Oct. 19. Ryan J. Pelster, 22, of Petersburg faced Taylor, alongside his attorney, Brad Montag of Norfolk, for sentencing in Antelope County and Madison County cases. Prior to the judge passing sentence, Montag presented a counseling discharge summary and photos of the victim and his client in the Madison County case, as addendums to the...
Antelope County defendants appeared in front of the Honorable Donna Taylor for arraignment last Wednesday, Oct. 19, in the county courtroom in Neligh. Marcos V. Dos Santos Spohr, 34, of Bartlett appeared alongside his attorney, Ron Temple of Norfolk, for arraignment on two counts, Count I, leave scene of property-damage accident, a Class 2 misdemeanor, and Count II, reckless driving, a Class 3 misdemeanor, both alleged Sept. 10 west of Elgin. If convicted, Dos Santos Spohr faces up to a $1,000 fine and/or six months in jail on Count I and up...
A Sioux City, Iowa, couple, Brent A. Jonas, 45, and Christina M. Jonas, 37, appeared in front of the Honorable Donna Taylor in the Antelope County courtroom in Neligh on Oct. 5, for first hearings on felonies. They are each facing two counts alleged Sept. 18, Count I, a Class 2A felony, possession of marijuana with intent to deliver and Count II, a Class 4 felony, possession of methamphetamine. If convicted, they face up to 20 years in prison on Count I and up to two years and/or a fine up to $10,000 on Count II. Preliminary hearings are set...
The Honorable Donna Taylor, while presiding from the bench of the Antelope County court in Neligh on Oct. 5, lectured two defendants on the importance of communicating with their court-appointed attorney. Antelope County public defender Pat Carney of Norfolk, had filed a motion Sept. 30, to withdraw as counsel for Aaron C. Poellot, 38, of Osmond. Poellot is charged with a Class 2 misdemeanor theft count related to a May 2 gas drive-off from Royal One Stop. In the motion, Carney indicated Poellot had failed to communicate with his office,...
Dillon E. Perry, 34, of Ewing, who was in custody in Madison County Jail on other charges, appeared in the Antelope County courtroom in Neligh for arraignment on a count of driving under suspension, alleged May 28, in Clearwater. Perry waived his right to counsel and entered a guilty plea. The Honorable Donna Taylor fined him $100 and assessed $52 costs. Perry had been granted a continuance July 6 when he called saying he had no ride to the courthouse. Then, on Aug. 3 he failed to appear in court and a warrant was subsequently issued for his...
