Child molester to serve at least 3 years
A Coeur d’Alene man will spend at least three years in prison for lewd conduct with a minor under 16, a judge ruled this week.
John A. Shepherd, 56, was sentenced to 15 years in prison on Monday with eligibility for parole after three years, the Kootenai County Prosecutor’s Office announced today.
Shepherd pleaded guilty Dec. 11, but District Judge John Luster ruled he “had only nominally accepted responsibility for his actions,” the prosecutor’s office said.
Shepherd said the molestation was a one-time event driven by his methamphetamine use and excessive drinking, despite having said in a previous interview that he’d been abusing the victim for several years, according to the prosecutor’s office.
“The alcohol and drug use here reinforces the appropriateness of law enforcement’s aggressive enforcement of controlled substance laws, and the responsible consumption of alcohol,” Prosecutor Barry McHugh said in a prepared statement. “…While incarcerated in the state prison system, Mr. Shepherd will be able to receive sex offender and substance abuse treatment should he choose to do so. In the meantime, the decision by Judge Luster protects the community from Mr. Shepherd for at least three years.”
Local man faces kidnapping, other felony charges
A local man faces several felony charges — including counts for kidnapping, terroristic threats, burglary and assault — as well as other charges related to three alleged events in the last two months.
Dustin Andrew Backman, 26, pled not guilty to charges in two recent cases in Stevens County District Court on Monday.
An omnibus hearing also was held Monday on charges Backman faces related to a December 2009 case.
In the four cases, Backman is facing felony charges for assaults, kidnapping, burglary, making terroristic threats, being a convict in possession of a firearm, and being in possession of materials used in methamphetamine production.
Backman is in custody and would have to post bail of $310,000 for unconditional release or $145,000 for conditional release.
Court documents record Backman’s address as Hancock.
According to a complaint from Hancock Police Chief Don Heikkinen, Backman was sleeping at a Hancock residence at about 5 a.m. on Feb. 6, when a woman who lives at the address arrived there with another man. The woman stated she lived with Backman until Dec. 2009.
The woman and man began watching a movie when Backman woke up and, according to the complaint, “went ballistic.”
Backman allegedly began punching the man in the face and the woman said she was unable to stop the attack. The man did not fight back and eventually ran from the residence, according to the complaint.
Backman then began yelling at the woman and struck her across the face, which knocked her down and bloodied her lip. Backman then allegedly told her to stop crying and said that he had to kill her for her “children’s sake,” according to the complaint.
Backman then allegedly told the woman to go to the upstairs of the house and hang herself, and the woman believed Backman intended to kill her and make it appear as a suicide. The woman also stated that a minor in the home had awakened and was witnessing the incident.
Backman allegedly began pushing the woman upstairs, where he began screaming at her. Backman then went downstairs and the woman also went down to comfort the minor. Backman allegedly told her to put the minors in bed because he was “not going to do this in front of the kids.” The woman stated she believed Backman was referring to killing her, the complaint stated.
The woman stated that she got Backman to settle down and she drove him to his parents’ home.
Backman faces one count of kidnapping to commit great bodily harm/terrorize, a count of terroristic threats, and three misdemeanor assault counts. The kidnapping count carries a penalty of 20 years in prison and/or $35,000 fine, the terroristic threat count carries a penalty of five years in prison and/or $10,000 fine, and the assault counts each carry a penalty of 90 days in jail and/or a $1,000 fine.
After those incidents, Backman was not charged immediately, but was arrested and charged for a Feb. 11 incident at a Morris home.
Backman allegedly kicked in a door and entered the man’s residence at about 11:45 p.m. on Feb. 11, believing the woman was there, according to Stevens County Attorney Charles Glasrud.
Backman then allegedly found the man and punched him several times. Minors were present during the alleged assault. Related to that incident, Backman faces a felony burglary count, which carries a penalty of 20 years in prison and/or a $35,000 fine, and a felony count of third-degree assault, which carries a penalty of five years and $10,000.
In December 2009, Backman was charged with a felony count of possessing a firearm as a convicted felon, and a felony count for possessing methamphetamine precursors with intent to manufacture the drug.
The initial search warrant was for a handgun. While searching the residence, officers found in a bag a liquid labeled as muriatic acid, a container with pink chunks of material, lamp fuel, tubing and a breathing apparatus with filters.
A second search recovered a plastic soda bottle containing a liquid that had separated into two components, capped with a tube running through the cap.
Backman faces a penalty of 15 years and/or $30,000 for the firearm possession count, and 15 years and/or $30,000 for meth precursor possession.
Arrest made in abduction
A Whetstone man was arrested on multiple charges, including kidnapping, after investigators said he tried to force a woman at gunpoint to take the blame for a crime he allegedly committed.
Francisco Lopez, 33, was booked into the Cochise County Jail on Monday on charges of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, kidnapping, threatening and intimidating, motor vehicle theft and obstruction of justice.
The investigation began after the Arizona Department of Public Safety made a traffic stop on Lopez on Jan. 31, said Carol Capas, spokeswoman for the Cochise County Sheriff’s Office.
Details about the traffic stop were unavailable from the DPS officials on Tuesday, but Capas said it occurred on Highway 90 and that Lopez was charged with possession of drugs and possession of drug paraphernalia for methamphetamine discovered during the stop.
According to Capas, on Saturday, “Lopez reportedly pointed a weapon at a female and threatened to kill her if she did not take the blame for the drugs and drug paraphernalia that were found in the vehicle.”
Lopez then reportedly forced the 18-year-old acquaintance into a car at gunpoint and drove her to the Sierra Vista Police Department to confess that the methamphetamine belonged to her, Capas said.
He later released the woman, though she never made contact with Sierra Vista police officials, she said. That same day, the woman contacted the sheriff’s office and informed them of what happened.
On Monday, members of the sheriff’s office arrested Lopez at Canyon Apartments in Sierra Vista. At the scene, investigators witnessed Lopez going to and from a 1989 Nissan Sentra. A check of the vehicle found it to be reported stolen by a Willcox resident. Lopez admitted to utilizing the vehicle during interviews with authorities, Capas said. Lopez was booked into the Cochise County Jail with a bond of $30,000.
Nixa man facing rape, drug charges
A Nixa man has been charged with three felony counts for the alleged rape of a woman he met in the parking lot of a Springfield business.
Bobby G. Harkness, 30, is charged with one count of Class A felony forcible rape, Class A felony forcible sodomy and Class C felony of possession of a controlled substance.
According to a probable cause statement filed by the Christian County Prosecuting Attorney’s office, Harkness and the alleged victim met Sunday in a parking lot and began talking.
He then agreed to drive the woman to Fort Scott, Kan., but instead took her to his residence in Nixa.
Once inside, the woman told police Harkness told her to undress, which she did because she was “scared Harkness was going to hurt her.”
He then forced her to have sex although she “told Harkness several times to stop, but he did not,” the statement said.
During the incident, the woman said Harkness used a syringe to inject himself with a drug and then injected her with a drug, telling her, “This will make the pain go away,” according to the statement.
The next morning, Harkness told the woman to throw her underwear in the trash and take a shower.
After she showered, Harkness fell asleep and she called her mother before leaving his residence on foot and met police nearby.
At Harkness’ residence, police discovered the woman’s necklace, as well as a Dumpster that contained his sheets, men’s clothing, the woman’s underwear, nine syringes, a glass pipe and a small plastic bag with white powder residue that tested positive for methamphetamine.
Nashville man, Nineveh woman arrested on drug charges
methamphetamine exposure after police raided a working meth lab Friday, Feb. 19 in a house west of Trafalgar.
Four children younger than 10 possibly were exposed to meth and dangerous chemicals such as anhydrous ammonia that are used to make the illegal stimulant said Doug Cox, Johnson County Sheriff’s Office chief deputy.
Robert Eugene Fowler, 28, 369 Kelp Grove Road, Nashville, was arrested on charges of dealing in cocaine or narcotics; possession of a restricted drug injection device; possession of marijuana or hashish; possession of drug precursors; possession of cocaine, narcotics, or methamphetamine; and possession of a controlled substance.
Elisha Ann Darnell, 19, 8070 Elm Drive, Nineveh, was arrested on charges of dealing in cocaine or narcotics; possession of a restricted drug injection device; possession of drug precursors; possession of cocaine, narcotics or methamphetamine; possession of a controlled substance; and possession of paraphernalia.
The Indiana Family and Social Services Administration received a call Friday afternoon that children might be exposed to health hazards from a meth lab in their home, Cox said. The caller wanted someone to check on the children’s welfare.
Father and son arrested on drug charges
A father and son were arrested and now face several drug charges in Ogden.
Police say the two men kept drugs and drug paraphernalia in their two apartments.
Michael Martinez, 26, and Nick Martinez, 46, were arrested and booked into Weber County Jail on Friday.
The men were arrested after officers from three separate police task forces served a warrant at the Martinez’s two apartments at Park Avenue Apartments, 2433 Adams Avenue. The two suspects were living in apartments across the hall from each other.
Police say they found 1.73 pounds of methamphetamine, Ecstasy pills, several guns and more than $27,000 cash which they believe was profits from drug deals.
Both Nick and Michael Martinez are parolees who were under surveillance as part of a month-long investigation.
Police say the father, Nick Martinez was working as a security guard at the apartment complex and faces obstruction of justice charges for hiding his son’s drug operation. He also faces drug paraphernalia possession charges.
Michael Martinez faces several drug-related charges, including suspicion of possession of methamphetamine and Ecstasy with intent to distribute and possession of drug paraphernalia. He also faces a possession of a firearm by a restricted person charge.
Sarepta meth cook blows up his “kitchen” while checking on dinner
Cooking meat while cooking meth apparently required more skill than what one Sarepta man could handle. In the late night hours of Saturday, residents of the small Webster Parish town were given shock when an outbuilding of one of their R. King Road neighbors exploded violently. Webster Sheriff’s investigators say the explosion was caused by yet another home-made methamphetamine laboratory.
John D. Clark, III, 49, was taken into custody by deputies on charges of manufacturing methamphetamine, possession of drug paraphernalia, obstruction of justice, and possession of methamphetamine following an investigation into the incident.
Webster Parish Sheriff Gary S. Sexton explained. “We understand that a neighbor initially called the local fire department when the explosion occurred,” he said. “When the fire department arrived on scene and saw that there were unusual circumstances, they notified us.”
Deputies on scene reported that while there was a brief flame associated with the explosion, the structure of the building did not catch on fire; therefore all evidence of the meth lab was preserved. Large amounts of ammonia, tubing, batteries and more were discovered and secured for proper collection by narcotics investigator Lt. Shawn Baker.
“Before Clark was taken into custody, our deputies learned that he was trying to hide evidence,” said Baker. “But it was a useless attempt. We recovered and collected a number of materials and components used to make the drug—as well as the final product.”
While Clark, who had briefly left the building to check on the pork chops he was grilling, was not injured in the incident, another man whose name was not released was inside during the explosion and suffered serious burns. He was transported by personal vehicle to a local hospital and was later taken to LSU Medical Center’s burn unit.
Investigators say they are continuing to look further into the incident and practices of Clark, and say more arrests could be possible.
“It’s such a senseless practice,” said Sexton, referring to meth use and manufacturing. “Folks just don’t release the danger they put themselves—and everyone around them—in. This office will continue our constant efforts to fight methamphetamine and other drug use, distribution and creation. Maybe this incident will shed some light on the serious dangers involved in ‘playing chemist.’”
Clark was transported and booked at Bayou Dorcheat Correctional Center. No word yet as to the status of the injured party.
San Pablo man faces murder charges in hit-and-run death
A San Pablo man will be arraigned today on murder and multiple weapons and drug charges for the alleged hit-and-run death of a 21-year-old man Friday in San Francisco’s North Beach neighborhood, prosecutors said Monday.
The 2:20 a.m. crash at Columbus and Vallejo streets left Luis Armando Prieto, of San Francisco, dead. Prieto had been walking with his brother at the time. The crash followed a shooting a few blocks away in the 500 block of Broadway.
District attorney’s office spokesman Brian Buckelew said Monday that a Nissan Maxima seen leaving the shooting with its headlights off struck Prieto at 70 mph.
The driver, Oscar Alejandre, 21, of San Pablo, was arrested following the crash and appeared in San Francisco Superior Court Monday morning on a separate firearm case.
Buckelew said his office decided later Monday to charge Alejandre with second-degree murder.
Prosecutors also charged him with gross vehicular manslaughter, negligent discharge of a firearm, hit-and-run causing death, possession for sale of methamphetamine, transportation of methamphetamine, possession of methamphetamine while armed with a firearm, carrying a concealed firearm, carrying a loaded firearm —all felonies — and misdemeanor counts of resisting arrest and driving on a suspended license.
“If you are involved in a shooting and then kill someone as you attempt to flee, that is not a traffic accident, it is murder,” District Attorney Kamala Harris said in a statement Monday afternoon.
Bail was set Monday morning at $100,000 on Alejandre’s previous case, two misdemeanor charges for alleged possession of a gun at a parking lot at 530 Broadway, the same location of Friday’s alleged shooting.
Alejandre remains in custody and is scheduled for arraignment on the new charges this morning.
Two others are also charged in the case.
Resaca man had pound of meth
A Resaca man was arrested in a joint federal-local operation and charged with trafficking methamphetamine.
According to Calhoun Police:
Charles Danny Greeson, 48, of 398 Spring Place Road, Resaca, was arrested Monday, Feb. 22, after members of the Calhoun Special Operations division, the federal Drug Enforcement Administration, the Conasagua Safe Streets Task Force and ATF seized one pound of methamphetamine. Officers also located prescription pills during a search of Greeson’s vehicle.
The arrest was the result of a month-long investigation.
Greeson was transported to the Floyd County Jail for holding.
romenews-tribune.com
17-year-old jailed on two counts of sexual assault
A 17-year-old was jailed for two counts of sexual assault of a 16-year-old girl not known to him, authorities said.
Brandon Marcus Schlegal was charged as an adult Saturday after the girl’s father reported two alleged assaults to investigators, Jackson County Sheriff Mike Byrd said.
Schlegal already was being sought by Harrison County authorities Friday night after he was discovered in a home with an active methamphetamine lab, according to Byrd.
He was supposed to be turned over to the state Department of Human Services, but “he ran away when DHS officials got there to get him,” Byrd said.
Schlegal went to his former St. Martin neighborhood on Entrenkin Drive and hid in an abandoned trailer, the sheriff said.
Nearby residents recognized Schlegal and allowed him to spend the night at their home.
“The victim was spending the night at the home with a friend,” Byrd said.
Byrd said the alleged assaults took place early Saturday morning, while everyone else was sleeping.
Schlegal was in the Jackson County Adult Detention Center as of Monday with total bail set at $50,000.
If convicted, Schlegal could face up to 30 years in state prison on each charge. He would also have to register with the state as a convicted sex offender when released from prison and notify authorities of his residency every 90 days.
blog.gulflive.com
Doc Cobra
Meth Head of the Day 