In Greene County district court Suanne Elaine Winters, 46, of Glidden was sentenced to five years in prison after she entered an Alford plea to a charge of burglary- third degree. (In entering an Alford 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 her guilty of the crime.) The prison term is concurrent to a term in a Guthrie County case. Winters was fined $750 with a $262.50 surcharge; both were suspended. She must pay a $125 Law Enforcement Initiative surcharge and $464.46 court costs. (Sentencing: Honorable Joseph B. McCarville)
Ellen Lordelia Fetters, 61, of Bayard was granted a deferred judgment after she changed her plea to guilty to a charge of gambling- false statement on job application. She was placed on informal probation for one year. A judgment was entered for a $625 civil penalty, restitution for her court appointed attorney’s fees not to exceed $1,000, and $100 court costs. (Sentencing: McCarville)
Amanda Fay Lawrence, 32, of Scranton was sentenced to five years in prison after she changed her plea to guilty to a charge of burglary- third degree, amended from burglary- first degree. The term is concurrent to sentenced in Audubon and Pottawattamie counties. The prison term was suspended and she was placed on probation for three years. She was fined $750 with a $262.50 surcharge; both were suspended. She must pay a $125 LEI surcharge. The judge ruled she is unable to pay restitution for her court appointed attorney’s fees. Court costs were $699.39. No judgment was entered on two counts of assault while participating in a felony. (Sentencing: McCarville)
James Harris, 30, of Jefferson was sentenced to 30 days in jail after he pleaded guilty to a charge of assault- simple, amended from assault causing bodily injury or mental illness. He was fined $65 with a $22.75 surcharge. Court costs were $60. (Sentencing: McCarville)
Robert Christopher Jean Thoma Jr, 19, of Scranton was sentenced to two days in jail after he changed his plea to guilt to a charge of possession of marijuana- first offense. The jail time was suspended and 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. His driver’s license was revoked for 180 days. Thoma was fined $315 with a $110.25 surcharge, a $10 surcharge for drug abuse resistance education (DARE) and a $125 LEI surcharge. Court costs were $100. A companion case in magistrate court in which Thoma was charged with possession of drug paraphernalia was dismissed. Court costs were $60 in that case. (Sentencing: McCarville)
Marcus Larry Lamar Cannon, 27, of Jefferson was sentenced to two years i prison after he pleaded guilty to a charge of domestic abuse assault, amended from domestic abuse assault impeding blood/air flow. All but two days of the prison time was suspended and he was placed on probation for two years. He must complete a domestic abuse program at his own expense. Cannon was fined $625 with a $218.75 surcharge. He must also pay $50 restitution for his court appointed attorney’s fees and $131.50 court costs.
Persons pleaded not guilty at arraignment as follows: James Harris, 30, of Jefferson, domestic abuse assault causing injury or mental illness; Jacob A. Grife, 18, of Scranton, possession of marijuana; Beth Lappegard, 23, of Perry, possession of marijuana- first offense, and possession of methamphetamine- first offense; and Mark Henry Morrow, 57, of Carson, driving while license barred. Trial dates were set of Jan. 23 for Harris, Lappegard and Morrow, and of Feb. 13 for Grife.
Cases were initiated in district court as follows: Cody James Schulte, 29, of Lytton, forgery- three counts and ongoing criminal conduct; Douglas Wayne Shutt, 56, of Grand Junction, failure to affix tax stamp, unlawful possession of prescription drug, possession of controlled substance (three counts), and possession of marijuana- second offense; Cindy Jo Sheehy, 56, of Grand Junction, dependent adult abuse/exploitation grater than $100, and unauthorized use of credit card less than $1,000; Dewayne Edward Phipps, 30, of Ogden, driving while license barred; and Damien Michael Schwering, 24, of Scranton, driving while license revoked;
