Reliable, Trustworthy Reporting, Capturing The Heartbeat Of Our Community
Reliable, Trustworthy Reporting, Capturing The Heartbeat Of Our Community
Sorted by date Results 101 - 125 of 185
Kevin D. Rudloff, 22, of Verdigre faced the Honorable Kale Burdick in the Holt County courtroom in O’Neill last Tuesday, March 23, to be sentenced for three crimes committed last October. Burdick ordered Rudloff to serve 21 days in the Holt County Jail, beginning March 27, for operating a motor vehicle to avoid arrest, a Class 1 misdemeanor. He was given credit for three days previously served. The count was reduced from felony flight to avoid, pursuant to a Dec. 2, 2020, plea agreement with Holt County attorney Brent Kelly. Rudloff was s...
A child abuse charge was recently dropped against a Plainview man after he met terms of an agreement between his attorney and the Antelope County prosecutor. Christopher L. Beltz, 33, had pleaded not guilty in November 2020, to allegations he committed child abuse, negligently, on Aug. 17, 2020. A motion to continue his pretrial hearing, filed by his attorney, James Walz of Omaha, to allow time for completion of a parenting class, was sustained by the Honorable Donna Taylor in January. The charge was dismissed by Antelope County attorney Joe...
A 22-year-old Sioux City, Iowa, man entered a guilty plea, by waiver, in the Holt County court last week, on the fifth anniversary of the offense. The man, who was 17 when he committed the offense on St. Patrick's Day, 2017, was fined $100 and $32 costs for possession of drug paraphernalia, an infraction. An arrest warrant had been signed in June 2017, after he failed to appear in court on the charge. It was reissued in June 2019. Michelle J. Brigance, 39, of Atkinson faced the Honorable Kale Burdick in the county courtroom last Tuesday, March...
Ervin J. Mast, 33, of Ewing was set for a pretrial hearing in the Antelope County courtroom in Neligh last week on four counts alleged Nov. 27, 2020, Count I, driving under the influence, .15 grams or more, first offense, a Class W misdemeanor; Count II, no proof of financial responsibility, a Class 2 misdemeanor; Count III, no valid registration, a Class 3 misdemeanor; and Count IV, possession of an open alcohol container, an infraction. Antelope County attorney Joe Abler filed an amended complaint March 17, reducing Count I to careless drivin...
BROOKE WRAGE, CELENA SHEPHERD and MADELEINE GRANT Nebraska News Service The first week of floor debates kicked off the second week in March. Senators debated and advanced a handful of bills in the Nebraska Legislature. A recap of the week. LB255: Provide compensation to families of deceased first responders Sen. Matt Hansen, of Lincoln, introduced LB255, which would establish the In the Line of Duty Compensation Act to provide a one-time death benefit for a family member of a first responder who dies while on the line of duty. “I believe it i...
Matthew S. Spencer, 27, of Bristow appeared before the Honorable Kale Burdick in the Holt County courtroom in O’Neill last Tuesday March 9, facing nine counts, including one felony charge. Spencer reached a plea agreement with Holt County attorney Brent Kelly, resulting in dismissal of the felony count, possession of a controlled substance; and reduction of a count of possession of marijuana, from a Class 3 misdemeanor third or subsequent offense, to a Class IV misdemeanor second offense. Spencer pleaded guilty to possessing the marijuana, s...
Madeleine Grant and Brooke Wrage Nebraska News Service LINCOLN--Nebraska lawmakers continue to push for marijuana legislation this session. On Feb. 19, the Nebraska Legislature Judiciary Committee heard six bills relating to the legalization and decriminalization of marijuana. Substance possession penalties State senators are considering a bill to change the penalty for controlled substance possession. LB 287, was introduced by Sen. Justin Wayne of Omaha to lessen penalties for possession of unusable amounts of controlled substances under the...
Raymond Bringewatt, 21, Antelope County Jail, waived his right to a preliminary hearing when he appeared before the Honorable Donna Taylor last Wednesday, March 3. Taylor bound him over to Antelope County district court, where he is set for arraignment March 31. Bond, in the amount of $50,000, 10% cash, is continued. He is represented by Antelope County public defender Melissa Figueroa of Norfolk. Bringewatt is charged with two counts, alleged Feb. 20, Count I, driving under the influence, third offense (refusal), a Class 3A felony; and Count...
The Honorable Kale Burdick sentenced a 40-year-old Inman man in five separate cases, in addition to binding him over to district court on felony charges and granting a continuance in a seventh case. Joshua A. Carlson was sentenced to seven days in jail, with credit for three days previously served, and fined $500 on a charge of possession of marijuana, one ounce or less, third offense and was fined $100 for possession of drug paraphernalia, in the first case. The offenses were committed March 30, 2020. He was assessed $50 costs of prosecution....
Trey A. German, 20, of Inman appeared before the Honorable Mark Kozisek in the Holt County district court last Monday, Feb. 22, for sentencing on one count, theft by unlawful taking, a Class 1 misdemeanor committed in October 2019. Kozisek sentenced German to a 24-month term of probation, including related fees totaling $630, and restitution of $4,000 to the victim of the crime. He was taxed $147 cost of prosecution as well. The charge was reduced from a Class 4 felony, theft by unlawful taking, Dec. 30, 2020, pursuant to a plea deal. In...
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,...
Donneceia D. McFarland, 34, of Oakdale appeared before the Honorable Donna Taylor in the Antelope County courtroom in Neligh last Wednesday, Feb. 17, for pretrial hearing on a Class 1 misdemeanor count alleged Nov. 8, third-degree assault. Pursuant to a plea deal, McFarland changed her not guilty plea to guilty. In return, Antelope County prosecutor Joe Abler agreed to file no additional charges related to the incident and to recommend a fine only at sentencing. Sentencing is set March 17. McFarland is represented by Antelope County public defe...
Andrew F. Clark, 54, of O’Neill faced the Honorable Kale Burdick in the Holt County courtroom in O’Neill last Tuesday, Feb. 16, for a pretrial hearing on two June 16, 2020, counts. Clark changed his not guilty plea to no contest on a Class 2 misdemeanor count of second-degree trespassing – defy order to leave, pursuant to a plea agreement. In return, Holt County attorney Brent Kelly dismissed a Class 3 misdemeanor count of criminal mischief, 0 to $500. Burdick found Clark guilty, fined him $250 and taxed him $50 costs of prosecution. Clark...
An Elgin man was bound over to Antelope County district court on felony charges, by the Honorable Donna Taylor, when she presided from the bench in the Antelope County courtroom in Neligh last Wednesday, Feb. 17. Travis D. Mace, 35, faced Taylor for further arraignment in two related cases, including possession of a deadly weapon by a prohibited person, a Class 3 felony, and possession of a controlled substance (methamphetamine), a Class 4 felony, both alleged Jan. 30 in Neligh. Mace, represented by public defender Melissa Figueroa of Norfolk,...
Jamie L. Thiele, 29, of Clearwater appeared before the Honorable Kale Burdick in the Holt County courtroom in O’Neill last Tuesday, Feb. 9, facing three counts. Thiele pleaded guilty to Count I, driving under the influence of alcohol, .08, first offense, a Class W misdemeanor, pursuant to a plea bargain reached with Holt County attorney Brent Kelly. In return, Kelly dismissed two infractions, speeding, 16-20 miles per hour over the posted limit, and possession of open alcohol container. Burdick fined her $500, placed her on probation for six mo...
Two defendants waived their rights to preliminary hearings in the Antelope County court last Wednesday, Feb. 3, and were bound over to Antelope County district court by the Honorable Donna Taylor. Mason R. Siems, 21, of Tilden is charged with two Class 1D felony counts of possession of a firearm by a prohibited person, alleged Nov. 21, 2020. He is set for arraignment in district court Feb. 24. Taylor set bond at $10,000, personal recognizance. Siems is represented by Antelope County public...
The Honorable Donna Taylor, presiding from the bench in the Antelope County court last week, set sentencing dates for several defendants, who admitted criminal allegations. Robert J. Evans, 41, of Elgin pleaded guilty, pursuant to a plea agreement, to one count of violating a harassment protection order, a Class 2 misdemeanor committed Dec. 12. In return, Antelope County attorney Joe Abler dismissed two additional counts of violating the protection order and agreed to recommend a fine only at...
Robert M. Gotschall, 36, of Atkinson faced the Honorable Kale Burdick in the Holt County courtroom in O'Neill last Tuesday, Feb. 2, for a preliminary hearing on a felony charge, abuse of a vulnerable adult. Pursuant to a plea deal with Holt County prosecutor Brent Kelly, Gotschall entered a no contest plea to a reduced charge, third-degree assault, a Class 1 misdemeanor. Burdick found Gotschall guilty and sentenced him to 60 days in the Holt County Jail, with credit for 56 days previously...
Wesley D. Hattula, 21, formerly of Oakdale, who had spent the previous nine plus months locked up in the Antelope County Jail on a $100,000, 10% cash bond, faced the Honorable Mark Kozisek for sentencing on two felonies last Wednesday. Johnson sentenced Hattula, to a term of not more than 16 years, nor less than 10 years, in a facility under the jurisdiction of the Nebraska Department of Correctional Services, on Count I, incest with person under 18, a Class 2A felony, giving him credit for 279 days previously served. On Count III, possession o...
Foresight. Summerland senior Rafe Grebin relied on it prior to Friday's Central Valley Invite. "I knew I needed to pick up at least three wins without any losses to even up my record so that I am seed-able for subdistricts," he said. Once he saw the bracket for the 126-pound division, he realized he wasn't going to get as many matches. He looked at the eight-man bracket and that's when he knew what he needed to do. "At that moment, I realized that I needed to win the tournament. I had to go 3-0...
Joshua A. Boettcher, 29, of Stuart was sentenced to 18 months in a facility under the jurisdiction of the Nebraska Department of Correctional Services for a July 2019 crime. Boettcher was sentenced by the Honorable Mark Kozisek in the Holt County district courtroom Jan. 22. “Your prior history of criminal behavior is a concern…it began when you were a juvenile and has continued more or less consistently since,” Kozisek said, while reviewing sentencing guidelines with Boettcher. “Placing blame on your victim flies in the face of the facts…y...
Sergio Martinez, 33, of Clearwater faced the Honorable Donna Taylor in the Antelope County courtroom in Neligh on Wednesday, Jan 20, for further arraignment on two counts, Count I, driving under suspension/before reinstated, a Class 3 misdemeanor committed July 15, 2020; and Count II, no operator’s license, also a Class 3 misdemeanor. Martinez pleaded guilty to Count I, pursuant to a plea agreement with county prosecutor Joe Abler. In return, Abler dismissed Count II, agreed to file no additional charges in the case and recommended a fine and s...
Ervin J. Mast, 33, of Ewing appeared before the Honorable Donna Taylor last week, for arraignment on four counts alleged Nov. 27, 2020. He is charged with, Count I, driving under the influence, .15 grams or more, first offense, a Class W misdemeanor; Count II, no proof of financial responsibility, a Class 2 misdemeanor; no valid registration, a Class 3 misdemeanor; and possession of an open alcohol container, an infraction. Mast pleaded not guilty to all four counts and requested a jury trial. Pretrial hearing is set Feb. 17. Bond, in the...
Christian J. Peterson, 20, of Norfolk faced the Honorable Kale Burdick last Tuesday, Jan. 12, for sentencing on seven counts. Burdick sentenced Peterson to 18 months’ probation for Count I, attempted possession of a controlled substance, a Class 1 misdemeanor; Count II, reckless driving, first offense, a Class 3 misdemeanor; and Count III, theft of lost property, also a Class 3 misdemeanor. In addition, Peterson was sentenced to a $250 fine and two days in the Holt County Jail, with credit for one day previously served, on Count V, minor in p...
Two area men were sent to the Nebraska Penal and Correctional Complex at Lincoln last week for crimes committed in Holt County. Kip V. Polston, 42, of Elgin appeared before the Honorable Mark Kozisek in the Holt County district courtroom in O’Neill for sentencing Jan. 11. Kozisek sentenced Polston to two years in a facility under the jurisdiction of the Nebraska Department of Correctional Services, with credit for six days previously served. He was also fined $500 and assessed $139 costs of prosecution. Provided he loses none of his good t...
