Knox County Criminal Court News
On Thursday, February 4, 2016 the Knox County Circuit Court had a full docket. Here is an update on several local criminal cases presided over by Judge Russell E. Steele and one case presided over by Judge Tom Redington.
State vs. Erin J. Bartz-Thomas
14KN-CR00095-01
Erin Bartz-Thomas, 33, of Knox City, appeared before Judge Steele with her attorney Todd Schulze and entered a plea of guilty to one Class C felony count of possession of a controlled substance in a plea deal to include the dismissal of a Class D felony charge of tampering with evidence.
Bartz-Thomas was sentenced to serve five years of court supervised probation, ordered to complete the Lewis County Drug Court program, pay court costs and her jail boarding bill in a suspended imposition of sentence, which means the charges will be cleared from her criminal record after she successfully completes her probation.
The State was represented by Knox County Prosecutor Jo Fortney.
State vs. Richard Lee Elder, Jr.
14KN-CR00022-01
14KN-CR00023-01
15KN-CR00070-01
Richard Elder, Jr., 23, of Canton, formerly of Edina, was not present in court. He is currently in the custody of the Calloway County Jail. Judge Steele took issue with his absence and threatened to subpoena the Calloway County Sheriff to question the official as to why a Knox County warrant to appear in court had not been served to Elder.
Elder has a number of open criminal cases in Knox County and elsewhere. In Knox County he is facing several felony theft and burglary charges along with other charges including a Class C felony count of endangering the welfare of the child and a misdemeanor count of minor in possession.
His attorney, Wallace Trosen, Jr., was present in court.
“I’m going to issue a subpoena for (the Calloway County Sheriff) to be here in court if he doesn’t serve that warrant,” said Judge Steele.
Elder is scheduled to appear in Knox County Court on March 18, 2016.
The State was represented by Knox County Prosecutor Jo Fortney.
State vs. Brandi S. Embrich
15KN-CR00023-01
A trial setting for the case against Brandi Embrich, 24, of Rolla, was continued to April 8, 2016.
Embrich is facing one Class D felony charge of defrauding secured creditors, which she has pled not guilty to.
State vs. Corey F. Faiola
15KN-CR00079-01
The case against Corey Faiola was continued to March 18, 2016. Faiola, 33, of Moberly, stands accused of two Class D felony counts of fraudulent use of a credit card. He has pled not guilty to these charges.
State vs. Kenneth H. Floyd
14KN-CR00021-01
A motion to revoke the probation of Kenneth Floyd, 49, of Kirksville, was filed by Knox County Prosecutor Jo Fortney in January of 2016. Floyd is currently on court supervised probation after pleading guilty to Class C felony charges of burglary and theft and a Class D felony charge of attempting to escape from custody while under arrest. This case was continued to March 18, 2016.
State vs. Danny A. Garrett
14KN-CR00110-01
14KN-CR00111-01
Danny Garrett, 51, of Hurdland is facing one Class B felony charge of possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute and nine Class C felony charges of unlawful possession of a firearm. Garrett has pled not guilty to these charges. His case was continued to April 4, 2015.
State vs. Jason D. Haley
15-KN-CR00109-01
Jason Haley, 40, of Bethel, appeared with his attorney Kevin Locke and entered pleas of not guilty to a Class B felony count of child molestation, a felony count of forced sodomy and a Class D felony count of incest.
Locke motioned the court to reduce Haley’s bond and asked the court to release Haley back to the Heartland community with special conditions including not allowing Haley to leave the Heartland property. The Knox County Prosecutor objected to the motion stating the crimes Haley is accused of committing are alleged to have occurred at the same property. Judge Steele overruled the motion.
Haley is scheduled to appear in court again on March 18, 2016 for trial setting.
State vs. Brandon L. Holman
15-KNCR00107-01
Brandon Holman, 20, of Edina, appeared before Judge Steele with his attorney Wallace Trosen and entered a plea of guilty to one Class C felony count of possession of a controlled substance in a plea deal.
Holman was sentenced to serve five years of court supervised probation, apply for and complete the Adair or Lewis County Drug Court program, pay court costs and his jail boarding bill in a suspended imposition of sentence, which means the charges will be cleared from his criminal record after he successfully completes his probation.
The State was represented by Knox County Prosecutor Jo Fortney.
State vs. Karie Jo Holman
15KN-CR00115-01
Karie Jo Holman, 32, of Novelty, appeared with her attorney John James before Judge Redington and entered a guilty plea to one Class C felony charge of theft in a plea deal to include the dismissal of a forgery charge.
Judge Redington presided over the case because Judge Steele recused himself, according to the Knox County Circuit Clerk Roma March.
Holman was ordered to serve five years of court supervised probation, perform 200 hours of community service and pay court costs in a suspended imposition of sentence, which means the charges will be cleared from her otherwise clean criminal record after she successfully completes her probation.
Restitution in the amount of $916.83 is not owed, it had already been paid back to the former law office of Deveny, Brown & Fortney.
The State was represented by a special prosecutor, Assistant Attorney General Monte Platz.
State vs. Loran L. Ragar
15KN-CR00123-01
The case against Loarn Ragar, 65, of Novelty, was continued to March 18, 2016. Ragar stands accused of one Class C felony count of domestic assault. Ragar has pled not guilty to this charge.
State vs. Justyn Robertson
A Class C felony charge of domestic assault against Justyn Robertson, 34, of Edina, has been dropped by the Knox County Prosecutor.
State vs. Heather A. Luckie (Ownbey)
13-KN-CR00059-01
Heather Luckie, 28, of LaBelle, was taken into custody for a probation violation on January 19, 2016. She has had a long well documented history of not complying with court orders since she pled guilty to a Class C felony charge of theft/stealing of a credit card in 2013. Her guilty plea was part of a plea deal.
Luckie was given a suspended imposition of sentence (it would fall off of her criminal record upon successful completion of probation) of three years of court supervised probation, ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $750, court costs and complete 40 hours of community service by December 31, 2014.
Since Luckie’s sentencing the Knox County Prosecutor has filed at least three motions to revoke her probation, the most recent being on December 11, 2015.
During court on February 4, 2016 Judge Steele stated, “I’m going to reluctantly let you out (of jail) today.” And went on to order Luckie to apply her tax return her unpaid restitution bill and court costs and to get her community service completed before coming back to court on April 8, 2016 – or face prison.
State vs. George H. Martin
10KN-CR00091-01
10KN-CR00108-01
George Martin, 52, of O’Fallon, formerly of Edina, appeared with his attorney Kevin Locke before Judge Steele on two cases filed in 2010. Martin has been in custody in the Adair County Jail since being released from the Missouri Department of Corrections on January 13, 2016.
A motion to reduce Martin’s bond was granted by the Judge and Martin was released from the custody on his own recognizance.
Between the two cases, Martin is facing three Class A felony charges of distributing a controlled substance near schools, one Class B felony charge of possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute and one Class D felony charge of tampering with evidence. Martin has pled not guilty to all of the charges against him.
Martin is scheduled to appear in court again on March 18, 2016.
State vs. Terry L. Schrage
15KN-CR00110-01
Terry Schrage, 30, of Kirksville appeared in court with his attorney Kevin Locke and entered a plea of not guilty to a Class D felony charge of driving while intoxicated/persistent offender. Schrage is scheduled to appear in court again on March 18, 2016.
State vs. Johnathan W. Zeigler
13KN-CR00119-01
The Knox County Prosecutor has filed a motion to revoke the probation of Johnathan Zeigler, 22, of LaPlata. Zigler was ordered to serve five years of probation with special conditions, pay court costs and his jail boarding bill in a suspended imposition of sentence after making a deal and pleading guilty to one Class C felony charge of possession of a controlled substance on January 9, 2015.
This case was continued to March 18, 2016.
