Suspect pleads guilty to molestation charges

Nevada Daily Mail

A Nevada man facing four charges in a child molestation case pleaded guilty in circuit court Tuesday morning. Thomas Petty, 27, was charged with second-degree child molestation and three counts of second-degree statutory sodomy for a series of sexual contacts with a victim under 15 years of age. Those incidents began late last year and persisted through February. Petty entered a guilty plea to all four counts. He will return to Judge James Bickel's court July 29 for sentencing.

Five-year sentence in meth possession case

A suspect in a drug case pleaded guilty to an amended charge of possessing a controlled substance. Jamie Boykin, 40, of Nevada, was sentenced to five years in the Missouri Department of Corrections to be served concurrently with a drug charge sentence in Bates County. Prosecuting Attorney Lynn Ewing III said Boykin was found with methamphetamines in his vehicle during a traffic stop. Boykin originally faced a charge of possession with intent to distribute.

Judge hesitant about domestic assault sentencing

A Nevada man appearing in court Tuesday morning on second-degree domestic assault charges received a stern warning from Judge Bickel. Charles Pratt Jr. pleaded guilty to the assault charge and was sentenced to five years supervised probation with requirements of attending alcohol treatment, a batterer's intervention course and psychological evaluation. Ewing told Bickel the victim worked with the prosecuting attorney's office and requested Pratt not receive jail time, but instead strongly supervised probation with additional courses to teach him that his actions were wrong.

While Bickel agreed to the terms of the plea bargain, he warned Pratt about actions that would revoke his probation. "I'm very reluctant to do something like this based on your conduct. If you don't follow the terms of your probation and come back here, do not expect leniency," Bickel said. If his probation were to be revoked, Pratt would face jail time in the Missouri Department of Corrections.

Suspect pleads guilty at arraignment

Jonathan Howard, a Richards man who faced possession of a controlled substance and unlawful use of a weapon charges, entered a plea of guilty Tuesday. According to evidence read in court by Ewing, Vernon County deputies found methamphetamines at Howard's home, along with an illegally modified .22 caliber gun. Howard appeared in court for an arraignment, and left the courthouse with five years of supervised probation in lieu of a seven-year sentence in the Missouri Department of Corrections.

Trial set in child molestation case

An end-of-year trial has been set for a Liberal man in Vernon County Circuit Court. Attorney Nicholas Swischer appeared in court for his client, Mark McClendon, who faces charges of first-degree child molestation. McClendon will appear in court Dec. 11 for a jury trial.