Oakdale man bound over to Antelope County district court on felony theft charges

Haiden M. Sleister, 18, of Tilden faced the Honorable Donna Taylor in the Antelope County courtroom in Neligh for further arraignment on two counts alleged between March 19 and April 6, Count I, possession of a stolen firearm, a Class 2A felony, and Count II, theft, $500-$1,499, a Class 1 misdemeanor. Sleister waived his right to a preliminary hearing, and Count I was bound over to Antelope County district court, where he was set for arraignment Aug. 31. Count II was dismissed without prejudice, to be refiled in district court at the discretion of the prosecutor. Sleister was remanded to the Antelope County Jail, where he was serving a sentence in a different case. He told the judge he was set for release Sept. 18, followed by 22 days to be served in a Madison County sentence. He is represented by Antelope County public defender Pat Carney of Norfolk.

Jagger J. Smith, 24, of Royal appeared for sentencing on a count of driving under the influence of alcohol (.15+), a Class W misdemeanor.

Taylor followed recommendations included in an alcohol evaluation that she had ordered when he pleaded guilty at his Aug. 3 arraignment. His blood-alcohol content at the time of his July 9 arrest was .253. She sentenced Smith to a one-year term of probation; a $500 fine; two days in the Antelope County Jail; and taxed him $150 costs of prosecution. Terms of probation include attendance at a minimum of one AA meeting a week; 120 days on a continuous alcohol monitor, 60 days up front and the remaining 60 days at the direction of his probation officer; enter, within 30 days and successfully complete, a short-term inpatient treatment program; and payment of fees totaling $390. He was given credit for one day previously served in the county jail and up to $265 credit toward fines and fees upon submitting an invoice for a court-ordered alcohol evaluation.

“I am not an evaluator. I am just a judge who is going to sentence you to jail or probation,” she said. “It is hard for me not to include recommendations (in evaluation report) as part of probation.”

Smith asked if he could continue his employment at his parents’ bar that had video surveillance. Taylor said, while serving drinks is usually not conducive to probation terms, she would leave it to the discretion of his probation officer.

Smith was self-represented.

Robert J. Haskin, 40, of Oakdale faced Taylor for arraignment on a count of disturbing the peace. Haskin was accompanied by Carney, who announced a plea bargain had been reached.

Haskin pleaded guilty and Abler recommended a sentence of 12 days already served in the Antelope County Jail since his Aug. 5 arrest.

“I was high on drugs and disturbed the peace of … neighbors,” Haskin said before Taylor sentenced him to 11 days in jail, with the extra day already served to be credited toward costs. Haskin was remanded back to the custody of Antelope County sheriff Robert Moore.

Taylor told him he would be transported back to the jail, “so you can get your clothes - if you have any.”

According to a probable-cause affidavit filed by Antelope County deputy Logan Lawson, he was dispatched, along with Neligh Rescue personnel, to a possible drug overdose in Oakdale. He encountered Haskin, who indicated he had attempted to inject methamphetamine, but believed he had injected fertilizer instead. According to the affidavit, Haskin was naked from the waist down, wrapped in a blanket. He was transported to Antelope Memorial Hospital where he jumped out of the ambulance and walked into the emergency room, before running down a hallway and attempting to run from the ER several times. He was “continually restrained” by officers and medical staff. When it was determined he was in no further medical danger, he was taken into custody.

Cassandra K. Thomson, 38, of Lynch appeared for arraignment on a count of driving under suspension/before reinstated, a Class 3 misdemeanor committed July 10. Thomson waived her right to counsel and pleaded guilty. Her license had been reinstated. Taylor fined her $100 and assessed $50 costs.

Scott A. Wesemann, 40, of Fremont faced Taylor for arraignment on a June 2020 DUS charge. He waived his right to counsel and pleaded guilty. His license had been reinstated. Taylor fined him $100 and assessed $52 costs. Wesemann had failed to appear for a hearing scheduled Aug. 5, 2020, and a warrant was issued for his arrest. The warrant was served July 24 by Dodge County officials.

Ryan T. Perez, 33, of Clinton, Oklahoma, pleaded guilty, by waiver, to possession of drug paraphernalia. He was fined $100 and $49. Perez was cited for the infraction and issued a warning for having a headlight out June 24, by a county officer on Highway 275/520 Avenue.