Stuart man bound over to district court on felony drug charges

Timothy J. Johnson, 48, Stuart, waived his right to a preliminary hearing and was bound over to the Holt County district court when he appeared in the Holt County courtroom, in O’Neill on March 19.

He is set for arraignment in the district courtroom April 22.

Johnson remains in custody at the Holt County Jail in O’Neill, pending posting10% of $100,000 bond. He is charged with three felonies - delivery of a controlled substance (methamphetamine), a Class 2 felony; possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver (meth), a Class 1C felony; and possession of a deadly weapon (firearm) by a prohibited person, a Class 1D felony - along with two infractions, possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia, all alleged March 8 in Stuart.

In an arrest affidavit, a Holt County officer indicated Johnson called the sheriff’s office to report a missing rifle at the Holt County Locker in Stuart.

As a convicted felon, Johnson is prohibited from possession of a firearm, according to the affidavit. He is accused of using the rifle to kill animals at the locker. Through the course of the investigation, according to the affidavit, a search warrant was obtained and executed at Johnson’s Stuart residence.

Officers found two “baggies” containing a white crystal substance inside a safe at the residence. According to the affidavit, the substance later field-tested positive for meth, with one bag containing 14.71 grams and the other, 43.34 grams.

Johnson is represented by Holt County public defender Rod Smith.