2017 St. Pat's Day crime resolved

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 16, for pretrial hearing on a charge of driving under the influence of alcohol, second offense.

Pursuant to a plea agreement with Holt County attorney Brent Kelly, Brigance pleaded guilty to a reduced charge, reckless driving, a Class 3 misdemeanor.

Burdick fined Brigance $500 and taxed her $105 costs of prosecution. She was represented by Holt County public defender Rodney Smith.

Brigance was arrested Nov. 4, 2020, by a Holt County deputy, after he responded to a report of a vehicle in a county road ditch, south of Emmett.

Lindsay R. Welsh, 26, of O'Neill appeared for arraignment on three counts, Count I, DUI, first offense, a Class W misdemeanor; Count II, driving without headlights, a Class 3 misdemeanor; and Count III, possession open alcohol container, an infraction.

Represented by Forrest Peetz of O'Neill, Welsh pleaded guilty to counts I and II, in return for Kelly dropping Count III, as a result of a plea deal.

On Count I, Burdick sentenced Welsh to seven days in the county jail, to commence March 22, with credit for one day previously served, a $500 fine and a six-month revocation of her driver's license. She was fined $25 on Count II and taxed $105 costs of prosecution.

Welsh was arrested by an O'Neill officer Feb. 14, after he observed her driving without headlights, according to a probable-cause affidavit filed by the officer. She registered .231 on post-arrest chemical test during booking at the jail.

Burdick sentenced Myron Mesteth, 49, formerly of Atkinson, to serve 14 days in the county jail for shoplifting, 0 to $500, a Class 2 misdemeanor committed Dec. 12, 2020, at Larry's Package Store in O'Neill. He was assessed $98.59 costs of prosecution. The jail sentence was suspended until July 13, 2021, to be served consecutively to one the defendant is serving in Madison County.

Mesteth, who was represented by court-appointed counsel, Michael Sholes of O'Neill, pleaded guilty, pursuant to a plea deal with Kelly.

Max D. Roberts, 18, of Atkinson appeared in front of Burdick for pretrial hearing on two Class 1 misdemeanor counts alleged Jan 2, Count I, contribute to delinquency of child, and Count II, false reporting.

A plea bargain was reached, with Roberts pleading guilty to Count II and Kelly dismissing Count I.

Burdick fined Roberts $500 and assessed $50 costs. Roberts was represented by Ryan Stover of Norfolk.

Colby R. Pownall, 37, of Belle Fourche, South Dakota, pleaded guilty, by waiver, to an Atkinson city engine-brake violation, committed one year ago, on March 10, 2020. He was fined $25, with $49 costs.