[ By FRED GOUGH ]

A 33-year-old Hutchinson man was bound over for trial Monday after four people testified to events that happened back on March 14. That led the state to charge him with a number of felonies.

Raymon Hunter is charged with violation of a protection order, battery and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. In this case, a knife and criminal threat, a new charge added by the state after the hearing Monday.

Hunter came to the victim’s home with a dog even though the occupant of the home had filed a protection from abuse order against him. He was in the back yard and her new boyfriend was also there. Hunter apparently started to leave out a back gate, but Anthony Smith jumped off the back porch and started to shut the gate. Hunter is then alleged to have threatened him and the two got into a fight. During that time, Hunter is alleged to have pulled a knife and threatened him. Smith then allegedly grabbed a shovel and attempted to strike Hunter, but missed and ended up striking his girlfriend’s SUV. There is some question as to whether the knife was actually open when Hunter walked toward Smith, but according to the victim, he felt threatened during the altercation.

After the hearing, the defense argued for a reduction of Hunter’s bond, but he has convictions for possession of drugs, possession of drug paraphernalia and driving while suspended, plus a number of failures to appear. The state argued against any reduction of the $7,500 bond and Magistrate Judge Randy McEwen agreed and denied the request.

The state also indicated that Hunter has a new case that has just been filed where he’s charged with criminal possession of stolen property.

With him being bound over, Hunter will be arraigned on the charges next month.

State drops charges in drug case, will refile charges

[ By FRED GOUGH ]

HUTCHINSON, Kan. —  One of two men arrested in August of last year was scheduled to go to trial after he decided against a plea, but instead the state dropped the charges, but will refile against Corey Smith.

The case against Smith and Jamaal Norris centers on accusations by the state for distribution of cocaine.

Smith had earlier waived his right to preliminary hearing in the felony case against him while he considered a plea offer from the state. He had also entered guilty pleas to three counts in a separate misdemeanor possession of marijuana case. Had he accepted the plea, the sentence in the marijuana case would have run concurrent to the felony case. That won’t happen now, in fact the state is adding two new charges in the felony case when it refiles. That will include an additional charge of possession of hydrocodone and misdemeanor possession of drug paraphernalia. That means the entire case will start from the beginning and the state indicates there will be no additional plea offers.

The trial may have been continued anyway because the defendant apparently wants to hire his own lawyer instead of having Alice Osburn as his attorney.

The felony case against the two centers on a search warrant being served on the home of Norris. He and Smith are both charged with possession of cocaine with intent to sell within a thousand feet of a school. Norris is also charged with possession of marijuana and a controlled substance, and also with intent to sell within a thousand feet of a school, possession of drug paraphernalia with intent to package and two counts of no tax stamp.

During the search, they allegedly located a baggie containing suspected marijuana on Norris. In his bedroom, they allegedly found more marijuana and numerous digital scales. They also apparently found cocaine and drug potpourri. There was at least 3.5 grams of cocaine, at least 25 grams of marijuana and at least 25 grams of a controlled substance.

The case against Norris is also pending.

[ By FRED GOUGH ]

One of two arrested last week formally charged in distribution case

HUTCHINSON, Kan. —  One of two people arrested last week by law enforcement on drug distribution charges has been formally charged by the state.

The state has charged 24-year-old Kylie Berry with possession of methamphetamine with intent to sell within a thousand feet of a school, possession of alprazolam with intent to sell within a thousand feet of a school, possession of clonozepam and possession of drug paraphernalia.

The co-defendant, 30-year-old Anthony Everhart, is free on a $42,500 bond and should make an appearance at a later date.

It was around 9:30 p.m. last Thursday night when officers served a search warrant on a home and say they located a pink purse. Inside the purse was a coin-sized baggie with a number of different pills, over 50 in quantity. Officers say they found three needles and a metal spoon with residue. Next to the purse was an envelope containing four baggies with a crystal-like substance. In all, it weighed a little over three grams. The substance found field tested positive for methamphetamine. All of this was actually in a vehicle at the residence. Located in Everhart’s bedroom was a notebook officers believe contained owe sheets, a glass smoking pipe with residue and packaging materials. Officers say Everhart had two morphine pills in his pocket which they say he tried to hide.

The residence is located within a thousand feet of Wiley Elementary School.

In court, Berry again denied any knowledge of the drugs and again asked for a reduction in bond. That was denied by the Magistrate Judge Randy McEwen. Her bond remains at $37,000.



Three arrested after being caught inside local home

[ By FRED GOUGH ]

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Two men and a 17-year-old were arrested after allegedly breaking into a home in the 500 block of East 1 st.

According to police, 47-year-old Wendell Hawkins, 19-year-old Jordan Trezeciak and 17-year-old Daniel Gossett broke into the home which was reported just after 12:30 a.m. Hawkins and Trezeciak are both charged with residential burglary.

Both made court appearances where Hawkins claimed his wife said the home was for sale, so he entered to take a look. Both managed to get their $5,000 bonds lowered and both will be back in court once the state files formal charges.

Gosset was taken to the Reno County Juvenile Facility and could face a charge in juvenile court.



Investigation into aggravated assault case continues

[ By FRED GOUGH ]

TURON, Kan. — Reno County Sheriff’s officials continue to investigate an aggravated assault case that happened  Saturday in the town of Turon.

According to their reports, deputies were called to 101 S. Burns in that city for a criminal damage report. After arriving on scene, they determined that someone had rammed a Maroon Buick into a fence, blocking Burns Street. The street was blocked off at that time for a block party.

The individual then backed up and, with more speed, rammed the fence again pushing it approximately 20 feet down the road. They say several people were standing inside the fence during that time.

The individual was not at the scene when deputies arrived and a search for the individual was unsuccessful.

[ By FRED GOUGH ]

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — A 29-year-old Hutchinson man who entered pleas in five cases against him was sentenced Friday afternoon to just over eight years in prison.

Arthur Adams entered “no contest” pleas in front Judge Tim Chambers with most involving the distribution or possession of drugs with the first case going back to 2012. There were also two cases where he was in possession of a firearm, one being a shotgun with the serial numbers scratched off and in another case, he was in possession of a 45-caliber handgun. Adams has a previous conviction for being in possession of drugs for a case from 2007, which makes it unlawful for him to be in possession of any type of weapon.

Both sides recommended concurrent sentencing in each case with a standard mid-range number in the sentencing grid box. In three cases, the sentences ran concurrent to each other, while the other two ran consecutive to each other and consecutive to sentence in the other three. This was all part of a negotiated plea agreement and the judge went along with the recommendation from both sides.

Deputy District Attorney Tom Stanton says, as part of the agreement, he would not pursue a charge of racketeering which was one of the crimes charged earlier.

Adams will get credit for time served while awaiting sentencing as well as any good time in prison which could knock the eight year, three month sentence down.


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Two arrested on drug distribution charges

[ By FRED GOUGH ]

HUTCHINSON, Kan. —  Two people arrested by law enforcement on drug distribution charges both made first appearances Friday morning.

24-year-old Kylie Berry and 30-year-old Anthony Everhart face charges of possession of methamphetamine with intent to sell within a thousand feet of a school, possession of Alprazolam with intent to distribute within a thousand feet of a school, possession of Clonazepam, possession of drug paraphernalia and no drug tax stamp.

It was around 9:30 p.m. Thursday night when officers served a search warrant on a home in the 800 block of East 22nd. Officers say they located a pink purse. Inside a coin-sized baggie within the purse was a number of different pills, over 50 in quantity. They say they found three needles and a metal spoon with residue. Next to the purse was an envelope containing four baggies with a crystal-like substance. In all, it weighed a little over three grams. The substance found field tested positive for methamphetamine. All of this was actually in a vehicle at the residence.

Located in Everhart’s bedroom was a notebook officers believe contained owe sheets, a glass smoking pipe with residue and packaging materials. Officers say he had two morphine pills in his pocket which they say he tried to hide.

The residence is located within a thousand feet of Wiley Elementary School.

In court, Berry denied the purse found was hers even though it contained her driver’s license.  Both Berry and Everhart asked for reductions in their bonds, but were denied by the judge.

Everhart has a bond of $42,500 and Berry is jailed on a $37,000 bond. Both will be back in court for a status hearing next Wednesday.