Suspect in drug cases scheduled for plea hearing

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The 26-year-old man arrested for the sale of drugs and charged with racketeering is scheduled to be in front of Judge Tim Chambers Friday where he may enter a plea.

Jeremy Jiles had earlier waived his preliminary hearing in one case against him from 2013, while three other cases against him from last year were combined into one complaint and includes the charge of racketeering.

The latest arrest came in June of last year where he’s charged with being in possession of drug paraphernalia with intent to package drugs, possession of personal use drug paraphernalia, criminal possession of a weapon and possession of marijuana.

The Reno County Drug Unit served a search warrant on his home in the 100 block of George. They allegedly found two vacuum sealed bags with marijuana. They also claim to have found a digital scale with marijuana residue on it, two gallon size zip-close bags with green vegetation, as well as additional new bags. Officers say they also found a pair of brass knuckles in a dresser drawer.

Jiles was arrested on Sept. 20, 2013, and charged with possession of marijuana with intent to sell, possession of drug paraphernalia with intent to package, personal use drug paraphernalia and no tax stamp. He’s accused of having more than 450 grams of marijuana, as well as packaging materials. That case is awaiting trial. Judge Chambers has set a trial date in that case on March 17.

If he doesn’t enter a plea in these cases, it would then be scheduled for jury trial in front of Judge Chambers.

HCF inmate in prison battery case scheduled for sentencing Friday

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — A 30-year-old inmate who one time was at the Hutchinson Correctional Facility and was found “guilty” on a charge of battery of a law enforcement officer is again scheduled for sentencing Friday.

The actual sentencing was continued earlier this month, but Judge Trish Rose did hear two motions from Douglas Anthony Kling, one for a new trial and the other for judgment of acquittal. Both were denied by the judge. There was apparently some issue with the pre-sentence report, so the actual sentencing is scheduled Friday.

The case centers on Kling being upset over the prison officer not responding to his demand to file a grievance. He started making noise and began kicking the door of his isolation cell. The officer, Jason Garcia, says he tried to get Kling to calm down, but he didn’t, so the officer opened the cell door. That’s when the confrontation started with Kling trying to leave the cell. Garcia says he was struck a number of times by Kling, including in the nose.

Kling, at trial, chose to represent himself with the assistance of a public defender.

The charge is a level five person felony with a maximum sentence of over 11 years in prison. That would run consecutive to the sentence he’s currently serving. Kling is serving time for convictions out of Marshall County for attempted murder, aggravated kidnapping, aggravated battery, aggravated assault and criminal threat. He also has a conviction for burglary out of Nemaha County. As it stands now, he’s not even eligible for parole until November 2040.

Convicted murderer charged with battery of a corrections officer

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — A 35-year-old man serving time for a murder conviction out of Johnson County from 1994 and battery of a corrections officer conviction from Reno County in 1996 was back before a judge this morning for the reading of a charge from 2013.

Terrence Kelly is again charged with battery of a corrections officer for an alleged incident occurring on Nov. 13, 2013, at the Hutchinson Correctional Facility.

Of course because he’s doing serious time, there is no bond and the judge asked his earliest release date from prison and he basically said he doesn’t have one.

If convicted of the new charge, he could receive over 11 years in prison for the single count.

The case will now move to a waiver-status docket.

Hutch man facing charges associated with injury accident scheduled for court

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — A 56-year-old man scheduled to go to trial next month is scheduled to be before Judge Trish Rose Friday for a pretrial hearing.

Curtis Cleveland is charged with two counts of aggravated battery, with DUI added into the complaint, failure to stop at an accident, felony flee and elude and interference with law enforcement.

Cleveland was allegedly fleeing from a sheriff’s deputy back on June 24, 2014, when he hit a small pickup driven by 26-year-old John Trussell of Hutchinson at the intersection of G and Plum. Cleveland’s vehicle continued to Campbell Street before coming to rest in the yard of a residence there. He then allegedly tried to flee on foot but was quickly apprehended

Trussell and his passenger, a 10-year-old boy, were both taken to Hutchinson Regional Medical Center for treatment. A passenger in Cleveland’s vehicle, 37-year-old Nichole Hansen of Wichita, was treated at the scene and released.

Judge Rose had earlier scheduled the trial to begin with jury selection on June 9.

*Note – although scheduled before the court, all hearings are subject to change.