In Greene County district court Michael Anthony Long, 56, of Grand Junction was sentenced July 14 to five years in prison after he entered an Alford plea* to a charge of lascivious acts with a child. The prison term was suspended and he was placed on probation for three years, and his name will be placed on the sex offender registry. A special sentence will begin after the sentence, requiring that Long remain under the supervision of the Iowa Department of Corrections as if on parole. Long was fined $750 with a $262.50 surcharge; the fine and surcharge were suspended. The court also found him unable to pay restitution for his court appointed attorney’s fees. Court costs were $430. Sentencing: Honorable Adria A. Kester
Travis Michael Straight, 33, of Scranton was sentenced to five years in prison after he changed his plea to guilty to a charge of manufacture, deliver or possess with intent to deliver counterfeit marijuana within 500 feet of a school. The prison term was suspended and he was placed on probation for three years. He must undergo a substance abuse evaluation and complete any recommended treatment at his own expense. His driver’s license was revoked for 180 days. Straight was fined $750 with a $262.50 surcharge, a $10 surcharge for drug abuse resistance education, a $125 Law Enforcement Initiative surcharge and restitution for his court appointed attorney’s fees to be determined. A charge of child endangerment was dismissed. Court costs were $180. A companion case in magistrate court in which Straight was charged with possession of drug paraphernalia was dismissed. Court costs in that case were $80. Sentencing: Kester
Theodore John Herrick, 37, of Jefferson 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. Herrick was fined $625 with a $218.75 surcharge. He must pay restitution for his court appointed attorney’s fees to be determined and $100 court costs. Sentencing: Kester)
Dallas Edward Forkner, 34, of Boone was sentenced to two years in prison after he pleaded guilty to a charge of driving while license barred. The prison term was suspended and he was placed on probation for one year. Forkner was fined $625 with a $218.75 surcharge. Court costs were $100. Sentencing: Kester
Steven Logan Dzuris, 29, of Jefferson was sentenced to 365 days in jail after he pleaded guilty to a charge of domestic abuse assault- serious. All but seven days of the jail time was suspended and he was placed on probation for two years. He must pay sheriff’s room and board fees for the time he serves. He must complete a batterers education program at his own expense. Dzuris was fined $315 with a $110.25 surcharge. A count of domestic abuse assault- third or subsequent was dismissed. Court costs were $193. Sentencing: Kester
Persons pleaded not guilty at arraignment as follows: Ryan James Brown, 44, of Jefferson, driving while license barred, child endangerment and eluding; Mark David Burgart, 40, of Churdan, burglary- third degree; and Mary Roper, 20, of Churdan, possession of marijuana- first offense. Trial dates were set for Sept. 26 in every case.
Cases were initiated in district court as follows: Jose Trinidad Hernandez, 27, of Grand Junction, possession of marijuana- first offense; Niko Lee Rice, 23, of Jefferson, attempted murder, domestic abuse assault impeding air/blood flow, willful injury causing serious injury, and harassment- third degree; Talon David Church, 19, of Ogden, operating while intoxicated- first offense; Austin Matthew Moone, 22, of Ogden, OWI- first offense and possession of marijuana- first offense; and Matthew Seth Losee, 41, of Paton, possession of marijuana- first offense.
*In entering such a plea a defendant does not admit committing a crime, but believes that given the facts in the county attorney’s information, a jury would find him guilty of the crime.
