Ewing woman pleads to reduced charges

A Ewing woman who had been facing four felony charges stemming from incidents occurring at a rural Ewing home, occupied by several children, one year ago, on May 12, 2022, has pleaded no contest to three misdemeanor counts.

Jessica J. Snyder, 41, appeared in front of the Honorable Mark Kozisec for a change of plea hearing May 1, accompanied by her attorney, Justin Kalemkiarian from the Berry Law Firm in Lincoln.

A plea bargain was announced, after which Kozisec allowed Snyder to withdraw her previous pleas of not guilty to Count I, terroristic threats, a Class 3A felony; Count II, attempted arson, a Class 2A felony; Count III, criminal mischief, more than $5,000, a Class 4 felony; and Count IV, intentional child abuse, no injury, a Class 3A felony.

She was then re-arraigned on new charges included in an amended complaint filed by Holt County attorney Brent Kelly on March 17, third-degree assault, a Class 1 misdemeanor; a Class 2 misdemeanor count of criminal mischief (more than $500 damage but less than $1,500) and a Class 3 count of criminal mischief (less than $500 damage).

Snyder entered pleas of no contest, with the knowledge that the pleas would be treated as guilty pleas for purpose of sentencing, according to Kozisec’s journal entry. He adjudged her guilty, as charged, of the three counts. The judge ordered a presentence investigation report be completed by a probation officer and set sentencing June 26 at 10 a.m.

Kelly made the following comment after the hearing:

“This case started as what I would call a mutually toxic relationship between two people who share children together. We were unable to uncover any evidence that Ms. Snyder intended or attempted to start a fire. And it’s my sincere hope that she had no such intent. Without that necessary element of intent, we were left to treat this case as a simple vandalism.

“Hopefully, we will be able to address the issues with these parties through our efforts in the criminal case and the separate juvenile case and, hopefully, all of the involved parties avail themselves of the help we offer and learn from this event.”

Snyder was arrested during the early morning hours of May 13, 2022. According to a probable-cause affidavit filed by Steven Binkerd, an investigator with the Holt County sheriff’s office, he responded to a report, just before midnight May 12, that alleged Snyder had attempted to gain entrance to the rural residence, through both the front and back doors, gained entry to a back porch and opened a freezer, after she entered a garage and allegedly poured motor oil into the fuel tank of a pickup truck. She allegedly left the garage carrying a gas can and a hammer and “dumped gasoline all over the front door.” Oily handprints were found on the back door.

The adult resident was not home but his children, ages 6 to 15, were inside the residence at the time.

The allegations were investigated by Holt County officers and Nebraska State Patrol officers.