In Greene County district court Michael Lynn Heard Jr, 56, of Jefferson was sentenced April 5 to 30 days in jail after he pleaded guilty to one count of theft- fifth degree, amended from forgery. He will receive credit for time already served in jail. The $65 fine was suspended and restitution for his court appointed attorney’s fees was waived, but he must pay a $22.75 surcharge, a $125 Law Enforcement Initiative surcharge, $2,563.73 restitution and $947.72 court costs. Heard was initially charged with 11 counts of forgery. (Sentencing: Honorable Steven P. Van Marel)
Craigg Michael Smith, 41, of Jefferson was sentenced April 10 to five years in prison after he pleaded guilty to a charge of delivery of marijuana, amended from distributing marijuana within 1,000 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 His driver’s license was revoked for 180 days. Smith was fined $750 with a $262.50 surcharge; both were suspended. The court found him unable to pay restitution for his court appointed attorney’s fees. He must pay a $10 drug abuse resistance education (DARE) surcharge, a $125 LEI surcharge and $180 court costs. (Sentencing: Honorable Joseph B. McCarville)
Douglas Wayne Shutt, 57, of Grand Junction was sentenced April 10 to 30 days in jail after he pleaded to guilty to a charge of possession of methamphetamine. All but seven days of the jail time was suspended and he was placed on probation for two 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 His driver’s license was revoked for 180 days. He was fined $315 with a $110.25 surcharge, a $10 DARE surcharge,
Shutt also changed his plea to guilty to a charge of illegal possession of prescription drug. The sentence was identical to that on the previous charge, with the jail terms to be consecutive.
Shutt was initially charged with failure to affix a tax stamp, possession of methamphetamine- second offense (three counts), and possession of marijuana- second offense. All charges except the two mentioned were dismissed. Court costs were $184.63. (Sentencing: McCarville)
Joseph Allen Thomas, 39, of Des Moines was sentenced to five years in prison after he pleaded guilty to a charge of sex offender registry violation- providing false information, amended from sex offense registration- second offense. The prison term was suspended and he was placed on informal probation for one year. He was fined $750 with a $252.50 surcharge; both were suspended. Court costs were $60. (Sentencing: McCarville)
Michael Ivan Venteicher, 60, of Jefferson was granted a deferred judgment after he changed his plea to guilty to a charge of possession of methamphetamine- first offense. He was placed on informal probation for one year. He must undergo a substance abuse evaluation and complete any recommended treatment at his own expense. A judgment was entered for a $315 civil penalty, a $125 LEI surcharge, restitution for his court appointed attorney not to exceed 4500, and $640 court costs. (Sentencing: McCarville)
Persons pleaded not guilty at arraignments as follows: Gary Le Bundy Jr, 43, of Jamaica, theft- third degree; Kayleigh Christine Harrah, 20, of Jefferson, possession of marijuana- first offense and possession of methamphetamine- first offense; Amanda Jo Goodpaster, 30, of Grand Junction, assault on persons in certain occupation causing bodily injury (two counts), and assault on person in certain occupation; Joseph Alan Winch, 25, of Fort Dodge, driving while license barred; and Shawn Allen Ellsbury, 49, of Jefferson, domestic abuse assault display or use weapon. Trial dates were set for June 5 in every cases.
Cases were initiated in district court as follows: Colton Lee Novak, 26, of Sioux City, burglary- third degree, theft- first degree, and criminal mischief- first degree; Kole Higgins, 23, of Grand Junction, unlawful possession of prescription drug, possession of methamphetamine- first offense, possession of marijuana, gathering where controlled substances are used, keeping premises or vehicle for controlled substance violation, and failure to affix tax stamp; Justin Jeffrey Baker, 31, of Grand Junction, possession of controlled substance- third or subsequent offense; and Jaime Candelario Mercado, 36, of Webster City, operating while intoxicated- second offense and driving while license barred.
