Antelope County attorney dismisses felony drug case

A felony case against Justin M. Golter, 47, was dismissed in Antelope County Court last week. Golter is currently incarcerated at the Nebraska Department of Corrections Reception and Treatment Center in Lincoln.

Antelope County Attorney Joe Abler filed a document Dec. 5, dismissing a 2022 Class 1D felony charge, possession of methamphetamine with intent to deliver.

The charge stemmed from meth allegedly found in a vehicle Golter had driven to the courthouse Aug. 31, the day he fled from officers after a district court appearance for a similar crime committed in 2020.

Golter, who was sentenced Nov. 30 by Antelope County district court judge Mark Johnson, in the 2020 case, to five to eight years in prison, had been scheduled for preliminary hearing Dec. 7 in county court on the 2022 charge.

In addition, a document signed Nov. 30 by Abler, Antelope County public defender Pat Carney and Martin Klein of Neligh, who represented Marilyn Golter, owner of the vehicle that the drugs were allegedly located in, stipulated that all evidence had been collected and the vehicle, which had been impounded since the August incident, should be released.

Golter was represented in both cases by Carney.

Misdemeanor charges against Jacob Thramer of Oakdale were also recently dismissed by Abler, without prejudice. Charges included second-degree trespassing and criminal mischief.

Abler indicated in the dismissal document, filed Oct. 26, “There is insufficient evidence and investigation by law enforcement at this time to support a conviction of the offenses alleged in the complaint.”