In Greene County district court Valeria L. Ulrich, 55, of Ames was sentenced Jan. 21 to five years in prison after she changed her plea to guilty to a charge of gambling, avoid set off. The prison term was suspended and she was placed on probation to the Iowa Department of Correctional Service for two years. She was fined $1,025 with a $153.75 surcharge; both were suspended. She must pay restitution for her court appointed attorney’s fees not to exceed $500. Court costs were $470. (Sentencing: Honorable James B. McCarville)
Wylie James Zellers, 22, of Hailey, ID, was sentenced to seven days in jail after he changed his plea to guilty to a charge of operating while intoxicated. He must undergo a substance abuse evaluation and complete any treatment recommendations, and he must complete a drinking drivers school. Zellers was fined $1,250 with a $187.50 surcharge; one-half will be waived if he obtains a temporary restricted license. A charge of possess or carry a dangerous weapon while intoxicated was dismissed. Court costs were $100. (Sentencing: McCarville)
Scott Craig Raymond, 39, of Coralville was sentenced to five years in prison after he pleaded guilty to a charge of theft- third degree against an older individual. He was sentenced to two years in prison on a charge of driving while license barred- habitual offender. The sentences are concurrent to each other and also to a Polk County case. Raymond was fined $1,025 with a $153.50 surcharge on the theft charge, and $855 with a $128.25 surcharge on the driving while barred charge; the fines and surcharges were suspended. The court found him unable to pay court costs and restitution for his court appointed attorney’s fees. (Sentencing: Honorable Derek Johnson)
Gregory Wayne Pendegraft, 21, of Urbandale was sentenced to a term not to exceed five years in prison after he changed his plea to guilty to a charge of grooming. The prison term was suspended and he was placed on probation to the Iowa Department of Correctional Services for three years. He will remain under supervision as if on parole for 10 years after the probation is completed. He must also register on the Iowa sex offender registry. Pendegraft was fined $1,025 with a $153.75 surcharge; both were suspended. He must pay a $250 civil penalty and a $90 sex abuse surcharge. A charge of sex abuse- third degree child victim was dismissed. Court costs were $598.40. (Sentencing: Johnson)
Anthony Joseph Nunez, 58, of Jefferson was sentenced to 30 days jail, with credit for time served, after he pleaded guilty to a charge of domestic abuse assault- simple, amended from domestic abuse assault- third or subsequent offense. The lesser charge was part of a plea agreement in another Greene County felony case. The jail sentence is consecutive to the term in the other case. Nunez was fined $105 with a $15.75 surcharge. He must also complete a batterers education program at his own expense. The court found him unable to pay restitution for his court appointed attorney’s fees and court costs (Sentencing: McCarville)
Roger Keith Ketchum Jr, 38, of Jefferson was sentenced to 90 days in jail after he changed his plea to guilty to a charge of possession of marijuana. The jail term was suspended and he was placed on probation to the Department of Correction Services for two years. He must undergo a substance abuse evaluation and complete any recommended treatment. He was fined $430 with a $64.50 surcharge. He must pay restitution not to exceed $500 for his court appointed attorney’s fees and $100 court costs. (Sentencing: McCarville)
In another case, Ketchum was sentenced to 90 days in jail, with credit for time served, after he changed his plea to guilty to a charge of possession of marijuana- second offense. The jail sentence was suspended. If it is ever served, it will be consecutive to the above term and terms in two other Greene County cases. Ketchum was placed on probation to the DOCS for two years. He was fined $430 with a $64.50 surcharge. He must pay an amount not to exceed $500 for his court appointed attorney’s fees and $100 court costs. (Sentencing: McCarville)
Nicholas Curtis Walther, 35, of Albert Lea, MN, was sentenced to 90 days in jail, with credit for time served, after he pleaded guilty to a charge of operating a vehicle without the owner’s consent, amended from theft- first degree. He must pay $881.60 pecuniary damages to the owner of the vehicle. A charge of possession of marijuana was dismissed. Walther was also charged in magistrate court with possession of marijuana. In that case, he was sentenced to two days in jail, concurrent to the above charge. A judgment was entered for a $105 fine with a $15.75 surcharge. No court costs were entered. (Sentencing: Johnson)
Colton James Tate, 30, of Ames was sentenced to 180 days in jail after he changed his plea to guilty to a charge of operating while intoxicated. All but two days of the jail term was suspended and he was placed on probation to Boone/Greene County Probation for one year. He must undergo a substance abuse evaluation and complete any recommended treatment at his own expense. He must complete a drinking drivers course. He may complete the Des Moines Area Community College 48-hour alcohol education program in lieu of the jail time. Tate was fined $1,250 with a $187.50 surcharge; one-half will be waived if he obtains a temporary restricted license. Court costs were $136.50. (Sentencing: McCarville)
Persons pleaded not guilty as follows: Gary Eugene Grundon, 62, of Grand Junction, possession of contraband in correctional institution; Cody Leonard Greiner, 34, of Colfax, driving while license barred; Franklin Leodan Aguilar, 22, of Jefferson, driving while license barred; Shaun Harold Warnke, 47, of Lake View, driving while license barred; Rocky Hughes, 36, of Boone, burglary- third degree (two counts), theft- third degree, criminal mischief- second degree (two counts), theft- fourth degree, and ongoing criminal conduct- influence enterprise; and Karl Maurice Krieger, 32, of Jefferson, driving while license barred. A trial date was set for March 3 for Hughes, and for April 7 for all other defendants named.
Cases were initiated in district court during the week ending Jan. 23 as follows: Takyla Ruth Pittman, 36, of Grand Junction, driving while license barred; Michael Bradley Hart, 45, of Churdan, operating while intoxicated- second offense; and Tythaniel Paul Sinkular, 36, of Jefferson, assault causing bodily injury or mental illness.
