Arrested after standoff, McCook man sentenced

Red Willow County District Judge John Battershell sentenced a McCook man, arrested after a standoff in March, to a total of 20 to 30 years.

Andy Blume, 25, of McCook was sentenced to 10-15 years each on three counts of burglary a Class III Felony, to be served concurrently and 10-15 years on possession of a firearm by a felon a Class III felony, to be served consecutively with the burglary charges.

During sentencing, Battershell told Blume, he had said everything he had to say when he sentenced Blume on drug charges in 1997.

"There just isn't anything else to say," the judge told Blume who had lowered his head to the table during the sentencing.

"I wonder what it takes to get someone's attention?" the judge queried. "Obviously I haven't hit that point yet."

As Battershell leafed through several pages on his bench, he referred to letters that had been sent to the court from Blume's friends and families asking the court for leniency.

"For some reason the people who wrote the letters believe you're not a terrible person. I haven't seen any indication of that," he told Blume.

"The people you burglarized are probably in favor of throwing away the key, but warehousing you won't do anybody any good." It would cost Nebraska residents to much, he explained. "And frankly I'm not sure you're worth it."

In arguing for a lengthy sentence, district attorney Paul Wood told the judge "this individual needs to understand he needs to change or he will die in the penitentiary," referring to Nebraska's three-strike rule.

Blume will be eligible for parole on the burglary sentence in five years, however he will then be required to serve the second sentence and be eligible for parole five years after his first parole is granted.

He will have served his full time on both sentences in 15 years.

Blume was arrested March 29 after a standoff with police in the 1400 block of West 14th.

Early that morning officers had observed Blume removing guns from a home in north McCook. When police officers attempted to contact him, Blume fled to a mobile home where he remained hidden until 12:15 p.m. when he was arrested.