Two local district court cases resolved by plea deals

Hope M. Petite, 27, of Orchard appeared in the Antelope County district court last Wednesday, Aug. 25, alongside her court-appointed attorney, Martin Klein of Neligh, for pretrial hearing on five counts. Charges included, Count I, second-degree assault, a Class 2A felony; Count II, third-degree assault, a Class 1 misdemeanor; Count III, leaving scene of property- damage accident, a Class 2 misdemeanor and counts IV and V, willful reckless driving, Class 3 misdemeanors. Klein announced a plea agreement.

In return for Petite’s guilty pleas to counts II-V, Antelope County Attorney Joe Abler dismissed Count I and agreed to file no additional charges rising from the June 27 incident that took place in Orchard. Johnson ordered a presentence investigationand set sentencing for Oct. 27.

Bond was reviewed, with Petite requesting a personal recognizance bond. Abler objected. Johnson amended bond to $10,000, 10% cash, as it had been previously set and posted by Petite on July 27. Bond had been raised to $30,000, 10%, at her July 28 court appearance. Bond conditions include no direct contact with Lucas Schneider nor Laura Fergusen and Petite is ordered to have no contact with her daughter unless authorized by the court that has jurisdiction over the child. Petite was remanded to Antelope County sheriff Robert Moore’s custody.

Andrew D. Herley, 20, of Neligh faced Johnson for a pretrial hearing on a Class 2A felony count, possession of a stolen firearm. Pursuant to a plea agreement with Abler, Herley pleaded guilty to an amended count of attempted possession of a stolen firearm, a Class 3A felony.

Johnson ordered a presentence investigation and set sentencing for Oct. 27. Bond, posted May 4, in the amount of $5,000, 10%, is continued. Herley is represented by public defender Patrick Carney of Norfolk.

Three cases were continued.

Tyler J. Napier, 31, currently held at the Antelope County Jail, appeared on six counts alleged April 25 to April 28. The charges include Count I, third-degree domestic assault, a Class 3A elony; Count II, strangulation, a Class 3A felony alleged April 28; Count III, strangulation, a Class 3A felony alleged April 28; Count IV, strangulation, a Class 3A felony alleged April 25; Count V, terroristic threats, a Class 3A felony; and Count IV, third-degree assault, a Class 1 misdemeanor alleged April 28. Klein made an oral motion, on Napier’s behalf, to continue both the pretrial hearing and the jury trial. Johnson continued pretrial to Oct. 27 and the trial to Nov. 15.

Bond is continued in the amount of $250,000, 10%, including terms to have no contact, direct nor indirect, with the alleged victims, nor to be at 83646 524 Avenue, Elgin. He was remanded to the custody of Moore, pending posting of bond.

Carney, appearing on behalf of his client, Tiffany Beckman of Neligh, made an oral motion for continuance of her arraignment on two felony counts of obtaining assistance by fraud - a Medicaid assistance violation, alleged between Nov. 1, 2018, and April 30, 2020, and a first-degree SNAP violation, alleged between Nov. 1, 2019, and Aug. 31, 2020.

Arraignment is continued to Sept. 29.

A motion to revoke post-release supervision for William D. Anson, 37, of Orchard was continued to Sept. 29. Anson had been ordered to serve two years post-release supervision following his release from prison on a conviction of burglary and possession of burglar tools, crimes committed in November 2017. The post-release supervision began July 9, 2020. Abler filed a complaint Aug. 23, citing a shoplifting arrest earlier this year as a violation, asking for post-release supervision to be revoked and that Anson be ordered to serve the remainder of the time incarcerated.