Sexual assault of a child charge dropped in plea deal

A 39-year-old O’Neill man accepted a plea bargain last week that included Holt County attorney Brent Kelly dropping three of four felony charges.

Ronald M. Allision faced the Honorable Mark Kozisec in the Holt County district courtroom in O’Neill on Feb. 12 for pretrial hearing on five counts alleged between June 1, 2021, and Feb. 28, 2022, in O’Neill, including third-degree sexual assault of a child, a Class 3A felony; contributing to the delinquency of a minor, a Class I misdemeanor; and three Class 2 felony counts of delivery of a controlled substance (marijuana) near a playground or school.

A plea agreement was announced. Allison pleaded no contest to a pair of the counts that were included in an amended complaint filed by Kelly - contributing to the delinquency of a minor and one count of delivery of a controlled substance (marijuana) near a playground or school. There was no agreement on sentencing.

Kozisec found Allison guilty and set sentencing April 22. Bond posted July 25, in the amount of $100,000, 10%, is continued. Allison is represented by Holt County public defender Rod Smith.

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Mark D. Brower, 32, of Omaha appeared in front of Kozisec for pretrial hearing on Count I, possession of a controlled substance (psilocybe cubensis), a Class 4 felony; Count II, possession of drug paraphernalia, and Count III, possession of marijuana, both infractions. In return for Kelly reducing Count I to criminal attempt possession of a controlled substance, a Class 1 misdemeanor, Brower entered no contest pleas to all three counts.

Kozisec found him guilty to the three crimes and ordered him to pay a $500 fine on Count I, a $100 fine on Count II and a $300 fine on Count III, along with $137 in costs.