In Greene County district court Richard Charles Burkhardt, 46, of Jefferson was sentenced to two years in prison after he changed his plea to guilty to a charge of public intoxication-third or subsequent offense. The prison term was suspended and he was placed on probation for two years. He was fined $625 with a $218.75 surcharge. The minimum fine and surcharge were suspended. The court determined Burkhardt is unable to pay $180 restitution to the state for his court appointed attorney, but a judgment was entered for $140 court costs. A companion case in magistrate court in which Burkhardt was charged with interference with official acts was dismissed. (Sentencing: Honorable Adria A. Kester)
Dante Westley Copeland, 20, of Panora was sentenced to two years in prison after he changed his plea to guilty to a charge of unauthorized use of a credit card. The prison term was suspended and he was placed on probation for two years. Copeland was fined $625 with a $218.75 surcharge; the fine and surcharge were suspended. A judgment was entered for a $125 Law Enforcement Initiative (LEI) surcharge and $121 court costs. Five counts of unauthorized use of a credit card were dismissed, as was a companion case in magistrate court in which Copeland was charged with theft-fifth degree. (Sentencing: Kester)
Polly Marie Bauer, 46, of Coon Rapids was sentenced to two days in jail after she changed her plea to guilty to a charge of operating while intoxicated (OWI)-first offense. She must pay a sheriff’s fee for the jail time she serves. She must complete the recommendations of a substance abuse evaluation she has already undergone and she must attend a community college drinking drivers school. Bauer was fined $1,250 with a $437.50 surcharge. One-half the fine and surcharge will be waived if she obtains a temporary restricted driver’s license. She must also pay a $10 DARE (drug abuse resistance education) surcharge, $60 restitution for her court appointed attorney’s fees and $100 court costs. (Sentencing: Kester)
Delaney M. Spencer, 22, of Jefferson was sentenced to two days in jail after she changed her plea to guilty to a charge of OWI-first offense. She must pay a sheriff’s fee for the jail time she serves. She must undergo a substance abuse evaluation and complete any recommendations at her own expense and she must attend a community college drinking drivers school. Spencer was fined $1,250 with a $437.50 surcharge. She must also pay a $10 DARE surcharge, $90 restitution for her court appointed attorney’s fees and $100 court costs. (Sentencing: Kester)
Mark Andrew Duntz, 27, of Des Moines was granted a deferred judgment after he changed his plea to guilty to a charge of possession of marijuana-first offense. He was placed on informal probation for one year, and he must undergo a substance abuse evaluation and complete any recommended treatment at his own expense. He must pay a $315 civil penalty, a $125 LEI surcharge and $100 court costs. A companion case in magistrate court in which Duntz was charged with possession of drug paraphernalia was dismissed. (Sentencing: Kester)
Brad Lee Byerly, 47, of Jefferson was sentenced to two days in jail after he changed his plea to guilty to a charge of operating while intoxicated (OWI)-first offense. He must pay a sheriff’s fee for the jail time he serves. He must complete the recommendations of a substance abuse evaluation he has already undergone and he must attend a community college drinking drivers school. Byerly was fined $1,250 with a $437.50 surcharge. He must also pay a $10 DARE surcharge and $100 court costs. (Sentencing: Kester)
Diego Manuel Diaz, 21, of Ralston was sentenced to 30 days in jail after he pleaded guilty at arraignment to a charge of public intoxication-second offense. All but two days of the jail time was suspended and he was placed on informal probation for one year. Diaz must pay a sheriff’s fee for the time he serves, a $315 fine, a $110.25 surcharge and $100 court costs. (Sentencing: Kester)
Ryan James Hanson, 31, of Jefferson was sentenced to two days in jail after he changed his plea to guilty to a charge of operating while intoxicated (OWI)-first offense. He must pay a sheriff’s fee for the jail time he serves. He must complete the recommendations of a substance abuse evaluation he has already undergone and he must attend a community college drinking drivers school. Hanson was fined $1,250 with a $437.50 surcharge. He must also pay a $10 DARE surcharge and $100 court costs. (Sentencing: Kester)
Larry Lee Warren Varnell, 22, of Churdan was sentenced to two years in prison after he changed his plea to guilty to a charge of driving while license barred. The prison term was suspended and he was placed on probation for two years. Varnell was fined $625 with a $218.75 surcharge. He must also pay $60 restitution for his court appointed attorney’s fees and $100 court costs. (Sentencing: Kester)
Persons pleaded not guilty at arraignment as follows: Tonya Jean Wenger, 44, of Scranton, domestic abuse assault causing injury; and Robert Derrick Sheber, 44, of Elkader, OWI-first offense. A trial date was set for Sept. 29 for Wenger and for Oct. 9 for Sheber.
Cases were initiated in district court as follows: Cory Ray Seeman, 27, of Rippey, possession of marijuana-first offense; Omar Felan Estrada, 29, of Grand Junction, domestic abuse assault causing bodily injury; Christopher Simon Hernandez, 29, of Jefferson, criminal mischief-second degree; and Trevor Nichols, 30, of Scranton, domestic abuse assault causing bodily injury.
