Sentencing was held yesterday in Grundy County Circuit Court for a Trenton man who pleaded guilty in May to three felony counts.
Samuel Jacob Southers was sentenced to 15 years in prison on each of two drug-related charges and to four years for unlawful use of a weapon. The terms are concurrent with each other. Execution of the sentences was then stayed and Southers was placed on five years probation. He’s to donate $600 to the law enforcement restitution fund.
Southers was arrested following incidents May 2 of last year at the Poosey Conservation area.
Kirksville resident Clifford Matthew Eiler, via a Polycom video appearance, admitted violating probation on Grundy County charges of receiving stolen property and tampering with physical evidence from February of 2014. Probation was revoked.
Eiler was ordered to serve a previously imposed sentence of seven years in prison.
Trenton resident Shelly Lynn Gallagher pleaded guilty to felony possession of a controlled substance. A three-year department of corrections sentence was handed down.
The execution was suspended in favor of five years probation and a $300 donation to the law enforcement restitution fund.
Trenton resident Colby Weaver pleaded guilty to two counts: sexual misconduct or attempted sexual misconduct involving a child under 15 years of age as well as a state amended charge of sexual abuse in the second degree – aggravated sexual offense.
Sentencing has been deferred. The court requested an assessment report to be made by the probation and parole office subject to sentencing scheduled September 7.
Levi Grant Bell of Trenton admitted violations of probation that had been issued for two counts of second-degree burglary in Grundy County. Last month, Bell was placed on five years probation. Yesterday, his probation was continued with additional conditions that include court-ordered detention sanctions. The court also requested a written report from the state within 100 days of Bell being delivered by the sheriff to the Missouri Department of Corrections.
Probation was continued with more conditions after Shannon Brake of Trenton admitted to a violation. The defendant was placed on five years probation in June 2015 for possession of a controlled substance.
Trenton resident Kelsey Renee Howard admitted to a probation violation. The court continued her probation with an added condition that she complete previously ordered community service work within 30 days. She was placed on five years probation last November after pleading guilty to two counts possession of a controlled substance.
Another Trenton resident, Rhonda Renee Howard, saw her probation continue after admitting a violation of conditions. Now she has been ordered by the court to make payments of $150 per month. Her original charges involved two counts possession of a controlled substance. Five years probation had been issued in February.
A sentencing hearing is August 10 for Timothy Nguyen of Trenton who had pleaded guilty in May to three felonies: resisting arrest or detention by fleeing, possession of burglary tools, and tampering with a motor vehicle first degree.
A hearing on the probation violation docket yesterday involved a Bethany resident: Cejae May, also known as Nicole May. In open court, the state withdrew all allegations of probation violation and motions to revoke probation. The court reminded the defendant she remains on probation under the terms and conditions previously imposed. Ms. May received five years probation in August 2015 after entering a guilty plea to distributing or delivering marijuana in Grundy County.
The circuit court noted a resident of the Hale community, Paul Berstert, failed to appear yesterday at the Grundy County Courthouse for a probation violation hearing.
A capias warrant has been issued. His probation was suspended until further order of the court. His original charge, to which he previously pleaded guilty, involved passing no account bad checks.
A jury trial is scheduled January 9 of next year for Gary Dale Hanes of Trenton who is charged felony assault in the third degree of a special victim and misdemeanors of resisting or interfering with an arrest and assault in the fourth degree.
Three days are scheduled next year for a jury trial involving an Eagleville resident, Michael John Welling, who is charged with statutory rape or attempted rape of a person under the age of 14. This case was moved to Grundy County on a change of venue from Harrison County. Trial dates at Trenton are February 26 through the 28th.
