In Greene County district court Benjamin Thomas Murphy, 41, of Jefferson was sentenced Feb. 22 to 180 days in jail after he changed his plea to guilty to a charge of sex offender registry violation. The jail sentence was suspended and he was placed on probation to the Iowa Department of Correctional Services for two years. He must successfully complete a residential correctional facility program. Murphy was fined $855 with a $128.25 surcharge. He must pay restitution not to exceed $500 for his court appointed attorney’s fees and $136.50 court costs. (Sentencing: Honorable Joseph B. McCarville)
Najaee Lanaye Harrell, 24, of Indianapolis, IN, was sentenced Feb. 21 to five years in prison after she changed her plea to guilty to a charge of theft- second degree. The prison term was suspended and she was placed on probation to the Department of Correctional Services. She was fined $1,025 with a $153.75 surcharge. She is jointly and severally liable with two co-defendants for $320 victim restitution. Harrell was sentenced to two years in prison on a charge of burglary- third degree. The prison term was suspended and she was placed on probation for three years. Should she serve the prison terms at some time in the future, they are consecutive. She was fined $855 with a $128.25 surcharge on the burglary charge. Court costs were $319.56. A related case in magistrate court in which Harrell was charged with theft- fifth degree was dismissed. Court costs were $279.56 in that case. (Sentencing: Honorable Derek Johnson)
Alysha Nicole Steece, 45, of Jefferson was sentenced to two years in prison after she pleaded guilty to a charge of criminal mischief- third degree, amended from criminal mischief- first degree. The prison term was suspended. She was fined $855 with a $128.25 surcharge; both were suspended. She must pay victim restitution in an amount to be determined. Steece was also sentenced to two years in prison after she pleaded guilty to a charge of domestic abuse assault display or use weapon. The prison term was suspended and she was placed on probation to the Department of Correctional Services for two years. If she eventually serves the prison terms, they are consecutive. Steece must enroll in the Department of Correctional Services’ domestic abuse program, and she must also undergo a substance abuse evaluation and complete any recommended treatment at her own expense. She was fined $855 with a $128.25 surcharge and a $90 domestic abuse surcharge. The court ruled she is unable to pay restitution for her court appointed attorney’s fees and court costs. (Sentencing: Johnson)
Jacob Thomas Monthei, 24, of Jefferson was sentenced to five years in prison after he pleaded guilty to a charge of deliver or possession with intent to deliver 50 kg or less of marijuana. The prison term was suspended and he was placed on probation to the Department of Correctional Services for five years. He must undergo a substance abuse evaluation and complete any recommended treatment at his own expense. Monthei was fined $1,025 with a $153.75 surcharge. He must also pay $1,000 restitution for his court appointed attorney’s fees and $155.15 court costs. A related case in magistrate court in which Monthei was charged with possession of drug paraphernalia was dismissed with no court costs. (Sentencing: McCarville)
Christopher Craig Edwards, 43, of Carroll was sentenced to three days in jail, with credit for time served, after he pleaded guilty to a charge of disorderly conduct, amended from assault on person in certain occupation. The jail time is consecutive to a sentence in another Greene County case. A judgment was entered for as $105 fine with a $15.75 surcharge. Court costs were $100. (Sentencing: McCarville)
Persons pleaded not guilty to charges as follows: Royce Christopher Gonnelly, 33, of Jefferson, driving while license revoked; Charley Ann Dozark, 36, of Jefferson, possession of marijuana; Tiffany McCalley, 50, of Grand Junction, possession of methamphetamine; Michael David Husar, 64, of Churdan, operating while intoxicated and possess dangerous weapon while under the influence; Justin Joe Downs, 38, of Churdan, assault while display dangerous weapon and criminal mischief- fourth degree; Jesse Robert Kniffin, 37, of Jefferson, unlawful possession of prescription drug (two counts) and controlled substance violation (three counts); and Bridgette Nicole Perez, 35, of Scranton, domestic abuse assault causing injury or mental illness. Gonnelly’s trial date was set for March 20. A trial date of April 9 was set for all other defendants named.
Cases were initiated in Greene County district court during the week ending Feb. 23 as follows: Jason Lee Miller, 46, of Boone, possession of methamphetamine and possession of marijuana; Royce Christopher Gonnelly, 33, of Jefferson, possession of marijuana- second offense, possession of methamphetamine- second offense, and possession of fentanyl, second offense; Michael Lee Eastman, 49, of Jefferson, harassment- first degree; Christopher Richard Sowers, 51, of Grand Junction, driving while license barred; James Pena, 25, of Denison, possession of marijuana; Dylan Wood, 18, of Urbandale, possession of marijuana- second offense; James Kenneth Harris, 37, of Woodward, driving while license barred; and Jay D. Wenger, 35, of Beaver, driving while license barred.
