Guilty pleas heard, trials set during March court
Several pleas were heard by Judge Craig Carter during the Ozark County Circuit Court law days on March 4 and 18.
The trial for Buster Ferraro that was to be held March 19-20 was canceled. Ferraro faces federal charges associated with his Ozark County charges. In Ozark County he is charged with sexual exploitation of a minor child, an A felony, and first degree sexual abuse of a victim less than 14 years of age, a B felony. (See March 18 edition)
Patrick Kyle Lee filed a motion in February for a change of judge and venue. Judge Carter sustained the change of judge motion and a request will be sent to the Missouri Supreme Court for assignment of another judge.
A bond review hearing was held in the case of Brandon Mills. Pipkins filed a motion to revoke Mills’ bond after several instances of failure to report to Court Probationary Services and testing positive for meth in Greene County, according to CPS in Springfield. Mills’ attorney objected. Mills was found to have continuously violated terms and conditions of pretrial release and he was ordered to be seen once a week by CPS. He is set to appear at 9 a.m. May 6.
Guilty pleas
Phillip Wayne Goodsell pleaded guilty to possession of a controlled substance, a D felony, and was sentenced to SIS and ordered to obtain a substance abuse evaluation. According to the plea agreement, the misdemeanor charge of unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia. An SIS, or suspended imposition of sentence, means that Goodsell is placed on probation for 5 years. If he follows the terms of the probation, at the end of the probation period the court will close the case and he will not have a criminal conviction on his records. However, if he violates probation, a full sentence may be invoked.
Dustin Kyle Wallace, 35, of Theodosia, pleaded guilty to non-support of a child with total arrears in excess of 12 monthly payments, a Class E felony. Wallace was sentenced to SIS, 5 years probation and ordered to make child support payments plus $50 per month.
Wallace also pleaded guilty by way of an Alford plea to stealing a firearm, a Class D felony. He was sentenced to SIS, 5 years probation and ordered to pay restitution of $1,400. Pursuant to a plea agreement, 18 counts of stealing a firearm and one count of misdemeanor stealing with a value less than $150 and no prior stealing offense were dismissed. An Alford plea is a guilty plea in which Wallace maintains his innocence but accepts a sentence. This is based on his voluntary choice to avoid a harsher sentence if he believes the evidence would be enough to convict him.
George Jason Krumsick, 54, of Mountain Home, Arkansas, waived formal arraignment and pleaded guilty to stealing $750 or more, a class D felony. He was sentenced to 8 years in the Missouri Department of Corrections, SES, 5 years probation and no contact with the victims. An SES, or suspended execution of sentence, means Krumsick was sentenced but was placed on probation and will not go to prison unless he violates the terms of his probation. Krumsick was charged as a persistent offender and faces charges in Arkansas. According to his attorney, Public Defender Chase Opolka, Arkansas plans to revoke Krumsick’s parole.
Ryan Austin Hampton, 30, waived arraignment and pleaded guilty to possession of a controlled substance, a class D felony. Pursuant to a plea agreement, the misdemeanor charge of unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia with a prior drug offense was dismissed. He was sentenced to SIS, 5 years probation, no contact with his co-defendant Millie Waterman, and ordered to successfully complete the Action Recovery Center program.
Sent to DOC
After a probation violation hearing, Johnathan Rowden was found to have violated the terms of his probation. His probation was revoked and his initial 4-year backup to DOC sentence was executed. He was ordered to be transported to the DOC. Rowden had initially agreed to admit his probation violation. However, he changed his mind and the hearing was held.
Angela Howell appeared for a probation violation hearing. During her hearing, her attorney asked that she remain on probation and be allowed to find a rehabilitation program.
Prosecuting attorney Lee Pipkins objected. Pipkins cited several rehabilitation programs she was either terminated from or left on her own. “At this point in time, she’s playing the ‘I’m going to rehab merry-go-round.’ It’s time for Ms. Howell to serve her sentence.”
Howell’s probation was revoked and her two sentences of 4 years in DOC were executed. She will serve both sentences concurrently. She was remanded into custody in order to be transported to DOC.
Warrants
A show cause warrant was issued for Jaycob Anderson for failure to appear. He is set to appear at 9 a.m. April 8. A show cause warrant is a directive ordering Anderson to appear before the court to explain why he didn’t appear for his scheduled appearance.
Dylon Powell failed to appear for his scheduled hearing and a show cause warrant was issued.
Kaleb Yost failed to appear for his scheduled arraignment and a show cause warrant was issued.
Trials scheduled
A trial was set for February 2027, in the case of Britni Dixon on a change of venue from Douglas County. Dixon’s pre-trial is scheduled for Jan. 6, 2027.
Trial was set for February 2027, in the case of Nicholas Steven Jackson with a pretrial for Jan. 6, 2027.
Not guilty pleas
Darron K. Bolton waived formal arraignment and entered a plea of not guilty to charges of statutory sodomy deviate sexual intercourse of a person less than 14 years of age, an unclassified felony.
On March 18, Bolton again appeared. His motion for a change of judge was withdrawn, but a motion for change of venue was sustained. Bolton also asked to be released to live with a friend in Rolla. Pipkins told the court that the victims in the case were opposed to Bolton’s release.
Carter sustained the motion for pre-trial release with the added provisions of electronic GPS monitoring and the rule that he would not be allowed in Ozark County except for court appearances. He is set to appear at 9 a.m. April 8.
Lashanna Lambert waived formal arraignment and entered a plea of not guilty to two counts of possession of a controlled substance, a class D felony, unlawful use of a weapon by possessing weapon and a felony controlled substance, a class E felony, three counts unlawful possession of a firearm, a class C felony, and two counts misdemeanor unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia with a prior drug offense. She is set to appear at 9 a.m. April 8.
Lance Scot Daellenbach waived formal arraignment and entered a plea of not guilty to charges of DWI - persistent, and first offense driving while revoked. He is set to appear at 9 a.m. April 8.
Joshua Allen Barnes waived formal arraignment and entered a plea of not guilty to charges of possession of a controlled substance, first degree endangering the welfare of a child involving drugs and unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia with a prior drug offense. He is set to appear at 1:30 p.m. May 20.
Shock incarceration
Michael Renne was found that he violated his probation by testing positive for THC and was ordered to serve 7 days shock incarceration in the Ozark County Jail. He is scheduled to appear at 1:30 p.m. April 22.
A motion to revoke the probation of Betty Ousley was issued on March 3. She appeared before Judge Carter on March 4 and was found to have violated her probation. She was ordered to serve 7 days shock incarceration in the Ozark County Jail and was given a new 5-year probation term on March 18.
Jamie Diane Judd appeared for a probation violation hearing. She was ordered to serve 7 days shock incarceration in the Ozark County Jail. She is set to appear at 9 a.m. April 8.