Car vandal must pay $500, gets probation

Monday, November 12, 2012

McCOOK, Nebraska -- A McCook woman, accused of keying a vehicle parked on West First Street in January, was sentenced to 18 months probation and ordered to pay $500 in restitution last Monday in Red Willow County District Court. The offender, 21-year-old Tasha L. Booker of 401 Park Avenue, accepted a plea agreement in September offered by Red Willow County Attorney Paul Wood that reduced the criminal mischief charge against her from a Class IV felony to a Class I misdemeanor offense.

According to a repair estimate in court documents, from Biekers Quality Collision Repair, the damage Booker caused to the vehicle totaled $1,773 in repairs.

Booker pleaded not guilty to the original offense in April before accepting the plea agreement in September and subsequently being sentenced last week.

A plea agreement was also reached with a McCook man last Monday that admitted guilt to a Class I misdemeanor offense of third degree sexual assault. The offender, 20-year-old Johnathon W. Matson of 1604 W. Fourth Street, was subsequently scheduled for sentencing at 10 a.m. on Jan. 7, 2013.

Matson was originally charged with a Class 2 felony offense of first degree sexual assault, that alleged he had sexual contact with a victim that was between the ages of 12 and 15 when he was 19 years of age or older. The reduced charge Matson admitted guilt to, as part of a plea agreement offered by Red Willow County Attorney Paul Wood, stated he had sexual contact when he knew the victim was mentally incapable of resisting or appraising the nature of her actions.

The charge stemmed from incidents in January and April of 2012 that occurred in McCook.

Other Red Willow County District Court Activity:

* 31-year-old Constance M. Hardenbrook of 303 S. Ninth Street was sentenced to 24 months probation after pleading no contest to a Class I misdemeanor offense of attempted possession of methamphetamine, as well as an infraction for possession of drug paraphernalia. Hardenbrook was originally charged with felony possession of methamphetamine and the drug paraphernalia infraction. She accepted a plea agreement in August, offered by Red Willow County Attorney Paul Wood, that reduced the felony possession charge to the misdemeanor attempted possession charge.

The charges against Hardenbrook stemmed from a June 2011 incident at that occurred at 1409 West 16th Street in McCook.

* 33-year-old Jason M. Stephens of 38555 Quail Trail accepted a plea agreement that admitted guilt to a Class 4 felony offense of possession of methamphetamine and dismissed a related infraction for possession of drug paraphernalia. Stephens was scheduled for sentencing at 10:30 a.m. on Jan. 7, 2013, in Red Willow County District Court.