In Greene County district court Beth Anne Laurent, 48, of Grand Junction was sentenced to one year in jail after she pleaded guilty to a charge of theft- third degree, amended from theft- second degree. All but 14 days of the jail time was suspended and she was placed on probation for one year. Laurent was fined $625 with a $218.75 surcharge and a $125 Law Enforcement Initiative surcharge. She must also pay $1,014.64 victim restitution. Court costs were $491.49. (Sentencing: Honorable Joseph B. McCarville)
Matthew James Merical, 26, of Victor was sentenced to two years in prison after he changed his plea to guilty to a charge of operating while intoxicated- second offense. All but seven days of the prison term was suspended and he was placed on probation for two years. He may complete the Des Moines Area Community College 48-hour alcohol education program in lieu of two days of the jail time. Merical was fined $1,875 with a $656.25 surcharge. One-half the fine and surcharge will be waived if he obtains a temporary restricted license. He must also pay a $10 drug abuse resistance education (DARE) surcharge.
Merical also changed his plea to guilty to a charge of possession of methamphetamine- second offense. He was sentenced to 10 days in jail, consecutive to the sentence on the OWI charge. He must undergo a substance abuse evaluation and complete any recommended treatment at his own expense. He was fined $315 with a $110.25 surcharge, a $10 DARE surcharge and a $125 LEI surcharge. Merical must pay $100 restitution for his court appointed attorney’s fees. A charge of driving while license revoked was dismissed. (Sentencing: McCarville)
Tyler John Tassell, 40, of Carroll was fined $65 with a $22.75 surcharge after he pleaded guilty to a charge of reckless driving, amended from OWI-first offense. He must pay $750 restitution for his court appointed attorney’s and $173 court costs. (Sentencing: McCarville)
Thomas James Dearden, 19. Of Boone was sentenced to 180 days in jail after he changed his plea to guilty to a charge of possession of marijuana- first offense. The jail time was suspended and he was placed on probation to Boone/Greene County Probation for 12 months. He must undergo a substance abuse evaluation and complete any recommended treatment at his own expense. He was fined $315 with a $110.25 surcharge, a $10 DARE surcharge and a $125 LEI surcharge. He must also pay $600 restitution for his court appointed attorney’s fees and $100 court costs. (Sentencing: McCarville)
Allen Gentry, 34, of Mountain City, TN, was sentenced to 60 days in jail after he pleaded guilty to a charge of assault causing bodily injury or mental illness, amended from sex abuse- third degree. He was fined $315 with an $110.25 surcharge. Court costs were $3,043. (Sentencing: Honorable Gina C. Badding)
Persons pleaded not guilty at arraignment as follows: Penny Lane Sankey, 45, of Fort Dodge, possession of marijuana; Christine Joan Durlam, 51, of Jefferson, theft- first degree and fraudulent practice- third degree; and Clint Michael Dennhardt, 18, of Ames, OWI- first offense. Trial dates were set for Dec. 10 for Durham and Jan. 28 for Sankey and Dennhardt.
Cases were initiated in district court during the week ending Nov. 4 as follows: Lauren Marie Verle Schultz, 25, of Jefferson, possession of marijuana; William Richardson, 63, of Jefferson, possession of methamphetamine- third or subsequent offense and possession of marijuana- third or subsequent offense; Marlene Eleanor Anderson, 50, of Ralston, OWI- first offense; Thomas Michael Launderville, 39, of Grand Junction, OWI- second offense; and Sandro Dominic Scuito, 39, of Rockwell City, possession of marijuana.
