Reliable, Trustworthy Reporting, Capturing The Heartbeat Of Our Community
Reliable, Trustworthy Reporting, Capturing The Heartbeat Of Our Community
Sorted by date Results 26 - 50 of 58
Two Antelope County women saw their felony district court cases resolved Sept. 27 by plea agreements when they faced the Honorable James Kube in the Antelope County district courtroom in Neligh. Kaitlyn C. Dozler, 23, of Norfolk faced Kube for pretrial hearing on a Class 2A felony count, fourth-offense driving under the influence of alcohol, .15 grams or more. Dozler changed her plea to guilty and Antelope County attorney Joe Smith agreed to file no additional charges in the case. An enhancement hearing was held, with Kube finding Dozler’s prev...
Taylor Schwager, 36, of Orchard appeared in front of the Honorable James Kube in the Antelope County district courtroom in Neligh, Aug.30, with his attorney, Ron Temple. Taylor was charged with violating provisions of his post-release supervision. Temple asked for continuance, telling the judge he expected resolution by dismissal. He said no charges had yet been filed in Lancaster County for an alleged DUI. Antelope County attorney Joe Smith did not object. “I anticipate dismissal,” he said. Kube continued arraignment to Sept. 27, unless the...
Three defendants, who had previously waived their rights to preliminary hearings in county court, were set for arraignment in the Antelope County district courtroom in Neligh, last week, by the Honorable James Kube. Two entered pleas and had pretrial hearings set while a third had his arraignment delayed after he tested positive for THC. Jay L. Herrera, 22, of Vermillion, South Dakota, appeared in front of Kube on a Class 3A felony, terroristic threats, alleged June 7 in Neligh. However, after arraignment proceedings began, Antelope County...
Two defendants entered guilty pleas to amended charges when they faced the Honorable James Kube in the Antelope County district courtroom in Neligh last Wednesday, Aug. 30. Ethan Moses, 20, of Chambers faced Kube, alongside Antelope County public defender Pat Carney, charged with a Class 3A felony, terroristic threats and Count II, intimidation by telephone call, a Class 3 misdemeanor, both alleged April 1. Carney announced a plea agreement had been reached. Antelope County attorney Joe Smith filed an amended complaint, charging Moses with two...
A Clearwater man was sentenced to 12-20 years in prison last week. Michael J. Mueller, 26, of Clearwater received a double sentence of not less than six nor more than 10 years in a facility under the jurisdiction of the Nebraska Department of Corrections when he faced the Honorable James Kube on July 26, in the Antelope County district courtroom in Neligh. Mueller pleaded guilty in May to charges of first-degree sexual assault in two separate cases involving separate minor victims, a 14-year-old girl on Dec. 26, 2022, and a 15-year-old girl on...
Jake Short, 23, of Oakdale appeared in front of the Honorable James Kube in the Antelope County district courtroom in Neligh on July 26 for a pretrial hearing on a charge of possession of cocaine. A plea agreement was announced, with Short pleading guilty to two counts included in an amended information, attempted possession of cocaine and theft by unlawful taking, $500-$1,499, both Class 1 misdemeanors. Short faces up to one year incarceration and/or up to a $1,000 fine on each count. The deal also included agreement by Short to pay...
Michael F. Doty, 30, Norfolk, formerly of Page, appeared in the Antelope County courtroom in Neligh for sentencing May 31, on a count of making terroristic threats, a crime committed last June in Orchard. Upon questioning by the Honorable James Kube, Doty said he had only a vague recollection of threatening his sister and brother-in-law June 28, 2022, at their Orchard home. He said he was under the influence of alcohol and methamphetamine at the time. He told Kube he is currently living in a...
Michael J. Mueller, 26, of Clearwater appearing with his attorney, Martin Klein of Neligh, faced the Honorable James Kube in the Antelope County district courtroom in Neligh on Wednesday, May 31. Pursuant to a plea agreement with Antelope County attorney Joe Smith, Mueller changed his pleas to guilty on charges of first-degree sexual assault in two separate cases involving separate minor victims, a 14-year-old girl on Dec. 26, 2022, and a 15-year-old girl on three occasions last year. The crimes are Class 2 felonies. In return, Smith agreed to...
The Honorable James Kube, while presiding from the bench in the Antelope County district courtroom in Neligh on May 31, sustained requests for continuances of pretrial hearings and jury trials made on behalf of seven defendants. Cases continued include: • Ryan Brummels, 22, of Ewing, represented by Frederick Bartell of Norfolk; charged with first-degree sexual assault of a minor, a Class 2 felony alleged Dec. 26, 2022; pretrial hearing and possible hearings on other motions continued to June 28, with jury trial remaining on the Aug. 21 d...
An Orchard man, who has spent most of 2023 in the county jail, was sentenced to specialized probation by a district court judge last week - along with time already served and restitution. Michael D. Fox, 37, appeared before the Honorable James Kube in the Antelope County district courtroom in Neligh on April 26 for sentencing on two counts, terroristic threats, a Class 3A felony, and criminal mischief, a Class 3 misdemeanor. Fox was accompanied by his court-appointed attorney, Martin Klein of Neligh. Kube reviewed a presentence investigation...
Katelynn Westley, also known as Katelynn Marker, 25, of Stromsburg faced the Honorable Donna Taylor in the Antelope County courtroom in Neligh on April 19, alongside her court-appointed attorney, Dennis Moreland of Norfolk. Westley is charged with three counts of disturbing the peace, each with a separate victim, all alleged Jan. 26. With no resolution reached, the case is set for jury trial. Antelope County attorney Joe Smith estimated trial may take two days. He plans to call five witnesses and said evidence may include “computer record t...
Morgan K. Anson, 25, of Orchard appeared before the Honorable James Kube in the Antelope County district court in Neligh on March 29 for arraignment on four felonies and two misdemeanors. During arraignment proceedings Antelope County attorney Joe Smith dismissed Count V, indicating the misdemeanor flight to avoid arrest charge was alleged on the same date as the felony charge in Count III. Kube informed Anson of potential penalties if she is convicted of the allegations, including up to 20 years imprisonment and restitution on Count I, theft...
Two defendants failed to appear for hearings in the Antelope County district court in Neligh last week on contempt motions filed by Antelope County attorney Joe Smith on Feb. 22, for alleged failure to pay restitution ordered at their sentencings. Both had made recent payments. The Honorable James Kube noted the women’s failure to appear and left the matters to Smith’s discretion whether to file affidavits for arrest warrants or to schedule show-cause hearings in April. Megan Brandt, 37, of Oakdale was convicted in 2015 of theft by unl...
Michael Doty of 29, of Page faced the Honorable James Kube in the Antelope County district courtroom in Neligh on March 29, for pretrial hearing on two Class 3A felony counts. He was charged with making terroristic threats and a Class 3 misdemeanor, disturbing the peace. A plea agreement was announced by Doty’s attorney, Antelope County public defender Pat Carney. Antelope County attorney Joe Smith dismissed one terroristic threat count and the disturbing the peace charge and agreed to file no further charges in the case. In return, Doty p...
An Oakdale woman who recently pleaded guilty to felony drug possession, will see her case dismissed, if she successfully completes a specialized court program. Sarah J. Ward, 46, of Oakdale appeared in front of the Honorable James Kube, in the Antelope County district courtroom in Neligh on March 2, for arraignment on a Class 4 felony count of possession of methamphetamine. Ward, who waived her right to preliminary hearing during Antelope County court proceedings March 1, was represented by Antelope County public defender Pat Carney. A plea...
Four defendants were arraigned by the Honorable James Kube in the Antelope County district courtroom in Neligh on felony charges Feb. 22. Michael J. Mueller, 26, of Clearwater appeared with his attorney, Martin Klein of Neligh, for arraignment on first-degree sexual assault charges, Class 2 felonies alleged in two separate cases involving separate minor victims, a 14-year-old girl on Dec. 26 and a 15-year-old girl on three occasions in 2022. Meuller entered not guilty pleas to the allegations in both cases. Pretrial hearings are set March 29,...
Koda K. Fernau, 18, of Clearwater faced the Honorable James Kube in the Antelope County district courtroom in Neligh on Feb. 22, alongside his court-appointed attorney, Ryan Stover of Norfolk. Fernau was scheduled for pretrial conference on a Class 3A felony count of making terroristic threats. Kube sustained an oral defense motion for continuance of the conference and a jury trial. The hearing is now set April 25 and the trial, June 20. Kube ruled on a motion filed by Stover on Feb. 14. The motion asked the judge to order a psychological...
A Colorado man and an area teenager were both sentenced to jail last Wednesday, Feb. 22, by the Honorable James Kube when he presided from the Antelope County district court bench at the courthouse in Neligh. Both men requested probation sentences so they could take advantage of treatment for substance addiction. Although Kube ruled neither was a candidate for probation, he told them he would give them an opportunity for the structure and treatment options afforded by post-release supervision by the probation office. Both were given 18 months...
The case of a Clearwater teenager, who is accused of making terroristic threats last fall regarding a Summerland Public School bus, was arraigned in the Antelope County district court last week by the Honorable James Kube. Koda K. Fernau, 18, of Clearwater faced Kube on Jan. 25, alongside his court-appointed attorney, Ryan Stover of Norfolk. He entered a not guilty plea to a count of making terroristic threats and requested jury trial. If convicted of the Class 3A felony, Fernau faces a maximum sentence of three years in prison and/or a...
Haiden Sleister, 19, of Tilden appeared in the Antelope County district courtroom in Neligh last Wednesday, Jan. 25, to be sentenced for attempted possession of a stolen firearm, a crime committed March 19, 2022. Sleister, who arrived late to court, had not yet produced a specimen for pre-court drug/alcohol testing when the Honorable James Kube called his case. Kube advised Sleister that he would revoke bond and keep him incarcerated until he tested clean. The judge further advised that he only held court in Antelope County one time a month, wi...
The Honorable Mark Johnson found three defendants guilty, when he presided over Antelope County district court Wednesday, May 25, in Neligh. Andrew F. Sternberg, 32, of Creighton faced Johnson for pretrial hearing on two Class 2A felony counts, theft by unlawful taking, more than $5,000, and unauthorized use of a financial transaction device, more than $5,000. Sternberg pleaded guilty to Count II, pursuant to a plea agreement with Antelope County prosecutor Joe Abler, who dismissed the theft charge and agreed to recommend probation at...
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...
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,...
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...
Matthew C. Waters, 34, a South Dakota man currently incarcerated, was granted continuances of his pretrial hearing and jury trial by the Honorable Mark Johnson in Antelope County district court last Wednesday. Court appearances are now tentatively set May 27 and July 21, respectively, on charges related to a multi-county pursuit that ended near Royal last November. Waters is charged with two Class 4 felonies in Antelope County, attempted assault on a law enforcement officer with a motor vehicle and operating a motor vehicle to avoid arrest,...
