Second son receives jail time for assaulting mother, drug infraction

Wednesday, February 1, 2017
Tyler J. Mercer

McCOOK, Neb. -- The second of two McCook brothers arrested last summer on felony drug charges and allegations they assaulted and threatened to kill their mother was sentenced to jail time earlier this month in Red Willow County District Court.

The most recently sentenced offender, 25-year-old Tyler J. Mercer of West 3rd Street in McCook, accepted a plea agreement admitting guilt to a Class I misdemeanor offense for third-degree assault and an infraction for possession of drug paraphernalia. The plea deal dismissed a Class IV felony alleging possession of methamphetamine.

Mercer was ordered to serve 60 days in county jail, with credit given for 44 days already served, during a Jan. 9, 2017, sentencing hearing.

Mercer's brother, 26-year-old Christopher J. Mercer, was sentenced in November to a pair of 180 day consecutive jail sentences after accepting a plea agreement admitting guilt to misdemeanor offenses for third-degree assault and attempted possession of methamphetamine. Christopher Mercer's plea agreement dismissed a third charge alleging possession of drug paraphernalia and reduced the attempted possession charge from a Class IV felony alleging possession of meth.

According to court documents, the charges stemmed from a report received by law enforcement officers from Judy Mercer indicating her sons were threatening to kill her and she wanted them out of her house. Investigators were shown profanity-laced text messages from the brothers, culminating with one from Tyler stating "If I have to keep hearing this I will kill you myself."

Judy Mercer told law enforcement officers a confrontation between her and the two men, following the text exchange, ended with Christopher Mercer punching her in the leg, as well as telling her he was going to kill her and she better not go to sleep tonight.

Christopher and Tyler were subsequently arrested on felony drug and terroristic threat allegations after arresting officers confiscated a marijuana pipe and a small circular glass container, which field-tested positive for the presence of methamphetamine, from Tyler's front pocket. A glass pipe which similarly field-tested positive for the presence of meth was also discovered in Christopher's pocket during the arrest.