Several plead not guilty during OC law day

Circuit Court Judge Craig Carter processed 29 defendants during the May 7 session of Ozark County Circuit Court.

Guilty pleas

Nathan T. Rodman pleaded guilty to second degree burglary. Pursuant to a plea agreement, Rodman was sentenced to 3 years in the Missouri Department of Corrections, SES, and 5 years probation. An SES, or suspended execution of sentence, means a defendant will be sentenced to a prison term but will be placed on probation and will not go to prison unless they violate the terms of that probation. The charges against Rodman were in connection with the October 2021 burglary and theft at the Cedar Ridge RV and Storage Unit in Bakersfield. (See story above left)

Not guilty pleas

Michael L. Jones waived formal arraignment and reading of the charges and entered a plea of not guilty to unlawful possession of a firearm and possession of a controlled substance. He is scheduled to appear at 9 a.m. July 9.

David Zastrow waived formal arraignment and reading of the charges and entered a plea of not guilty to delivery of a controlled substance except 35 grams or less of marijuana or synthetic cannabinoid, unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia, keeping or maintaining a public nuisance, unlawful possession of a firearm and unlawful use of a weapon by possessing weapon and a felony controlled substance. He is scheduled to appear at 1:30 p.m. July 23.

Christopher Levi McKee waived formal arraignment and reading of the charges and entered a plea of not guilty to possession of a controlled substance, two counts of unlawful uses of a weapon by possessing weapon and a felony controlled substance, hindering prosecution of a felony and unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia with a prior drug offense. He is scheduled to appear at 9 a.m. July 9.

Andrew Zeph Fienhold waived formal arraignment and reading of the charges and entered a plea of not guilty to two counts of possession of a controlled substance and the charge of unlawful uses of a weapon by possessing weapon and a felony controlled substance. He is scheduled to appear at 9 a.m. July 9.

Sarah M. Wollin waived formal arraignment and reading of the charges and entered a plea of not guilty to possession of a controlled substance, unlawful use of a weapon by possessing weapon and a felony controlled substance, and unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia with prior drug offense. She is scheduled to appear at 9 a.m. July 9.

Aaron Lee Davis waived formal arraignment and reading of the charges and entered a plea of not guilty to three counts of possession of a controlled substance and unlawful uses of a weapon by possessing weapon and a felony controlled substance. However, according to online court records, probable cause was found that Davis had violated terms of his bond and an alias capias warrant was issued for Davis on May 12, and he was ordered to serve seven days shock incarceration in the Ozark County Jail. An alias capias warrant is issued when someone doesn’t appear in court for a scheduled date before entering a plea, doesn’t respond to a citation or doesn’t pay a fine or meet other conditions within a specified time frame after being found guilty.

Nancy Blackburn waived formal arraignment and reading of the charges and entered a plea of not guilty to possession of a controlled substance and unlawful use of a weapon by possessing weapon and a felony controlled substance. She is scheduled to appear at 9 a.m. July 9.

Gloria Nicole Barnett waived formal arraignment and reading of the charges and entered a plea of not guilty to first degree trafficking drugs or attempt to traffick over the statutory amount, unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia - amphetamine or methamphetamine, keeping or maintaining a public nuisance, and two counts of unlawful uses of a weapon by possessing weapon and a felony controlled substance. She is set to appear at 9 a.m. July 9.

Trial scheduled 

A trial was scheduled for the spring of 2026 in the case of Larry Lavern Sanders. Sanders is charged with two counts of possession of a controlled substance and two counts of unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia with a prior drug offense. A pretrial hearing will be held at 9 a.m. Jan. 7, 2026.

Warrants issued

Brian William Cuthbertson failed to appear for his scheduled probation violation hearing. Judge Carter was told that Cuthbertson was in the Taney County Jail and a capias warrant was issued. His probation hearing is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. May 21. He is currently in the Ozark County Jail. A capias warrant is a court order that authorizes law enforcement to arrest and detain a person who is charged with a crime or has failed to comply with court orders.

Gregory Broya Hambelton failed to appear for his plea or trial setting. A capias warrant was issued for his arrest. 

Alexander J. Olson failed to appear for his scheduled plea or trial setting. A capias warrant was issued for his arrest.

Probation

Probation terms for Robert Stewart Morris were amended. He will be continued on unsupervised probation.

Katherine J. Brotherton was continued on probation. She now qualifies for Greene County Drug Court.

Rhonda Sprague was discharged from probation.

Justin P. Bell admitted that he violated terms of his probation and he was taken into custody. He will appear at 9 a.m. June 4 for sentencing. He remains in the Ozark County Jail.

Andrew Brandt Clay was continued on probation. He was screened and accepted into the drug court program.

Continued to May 21

Michael D. Peardon’s probation violation hearing was continued to 1:30 p.m. May 21 after he tested positive for methamphetamines during court. He was ordered to serve seven days shock incarceration and to be screened for drug court.

The case review hearing for Michael Cory Collins was rescheduled to 1:30 p.m. May 21. He was released to Core, a sober living program in Branson.

Continued to June 4

Case review for John N. Wiggins was continued to 9 a.m. June 4. He remains on the waiting list for the Missouri Department of Mental Health. He is currently being held in the Ozark County Jail.

The probation violation hearing for Sondra F. Clark was continued to June 4. According to Clark’s attorney, Public Defender Chase Opolka, Clark had been dismissed from Ozark County Drug Court. That decision was appealed but the dismissal was sustained. Opolka informed the court that they were looking for a long-term treatment program for Clark. He asked that Clark be continued on probation until a program could be found. Ozark County Prosecuting Attorney Lee Pipkins objected, saying that this was the second time Clark had been dismissed from drug court. Judge Carter sustained Pipkins’ objection and Clark was taken into custody. She remains in the Ozark County Jail.

Four plea or trial settings for David L. Bradberry II were continued to 9 a.m. June 4. He remains in the Ozark County Jail.

The motion hearing for Christopher Scott Davis was continued to 9 a.m. June 4. Davis is currently in the DOC.

The plea or trial setting for Danielle Rosario was continued to 9 a.m. June 4.

Continued to June 18

The plea or trial setting for Matthew N. Collins was continued to 1:30 p.m. June 18.

The plea hearing for Timothy Kyle Sprague was continued to 1:30 p.m. June 18.

Continued to July 9

The probation hearing for Michael L. Jones was continued to 9 a.m. July 9.

The probation violation hearing for Daniel Eric Johnson was continued to 9 a.m. July 9.

The plea or trial setting for Brandon Wayne Twyman was continued to 9 a.m. July 9.

Continued to Sept. 3

The plea or trial setting was continued to 9 a.m. Sept. 3 for Jerry Parks. He recently graduated from a sober living home in Springfield and Opolka requested that his client not be remanded into custody. According to Pipkins, the alleged victim is agreeable to that request as long as there is no contact. The court sustained the motion.