O'Neill man violates probation, sentenced to county jail

A 20-year-old O’Neill man was back in the Holt County district courtroom March 11, to be resentenced for crimes committed Aug. 5, 2021, after he admitted violating probation.

The Honorable Mark Kozisek revoked probation and resentenced Drake D. Ruegge to 100 days in the Holt County Jail on each of two underlying counts, possession of a controlled substance and third-degree domestic assault, with credit given for 44 days previously served.

Provided he loses none of his good time, Ruegge must serve 58 days, less 44 days on Count I and another 58 days on Count II before attaining mandatory release.

Ruegge was represented by Martin Klein of Neligh.

“Mr. Ruegge's case is a good example of how difficult severe drug problems can be to solve,” said Holt County attorney Brent Kelly in an email statement following last week’s sentencing. “He's taken hundreds of hours of work and thousands of taxpayer dollars through law enforcement, probation officers, and courts, and still, his issues are not solved.”

Kelly filed an amended motion to revoke probation Jan. 8, listing several violations, including Oct. 16 and Dec. 2, 2023, arrests in Pierce County for possession of controlled substances, possession of a deadly weapon, possession of drug paraphernalia, hand-held wireless device violation, no valid registration, no proof of financial responsibility, a failed October 2023 drug test (positive for fentanyl, THC, buprenorphine, amphetamine and methamphetamine), termination from the Batterer’s Intervention Program and failure to answer phone calls and/or keep appointments with his probation officer.

Ruegge, who was sentenced in August 2022 to four years of probation, admitted violations Feb. 2, as part of a plea agreement with Kelly, who agreed to remain silent at sentencing.

Ruegge also served numerous violation sanctions throughout 2023.

“We simply cannot stay afloat by using truckloads of resources in our failed attempts to solve problems created by teaspoons of illegal methamphetamine and fentanyl,” Kelly continued. “Where are these drugs coming from? Why are they becoming more available? Why are they less expensive now than ever before?

“The answer is that for the most part, these drugs are coming from our southern border with Mexico. In my opinion, we absolutely need to eliminate or reduce the flow of these substances at the border, because we will never be able to catch, prosecute and rehabilitate drug addicts at nearly the rate at which they are created. We fall further behind every day.”

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Tristina J. Strong, 32, of Orchard appeared to be sentenced on one count of possession of a controlled substance (meth), committed April 11, 2023, in Chambers.

She was sentenced to a three-year term of probation.

Strong pleaded guilty, pursuant to a plea bargain with Kelly on Nov. 20, 2023. In return, Kelly agreed to file no additional charges in the case.

Strong was represented by Holt County public defender Rod Smith.