Jail time handed down in theft, assault cases

McCOOK, Nebraska -- A McCook man was sentenced to jail time in Red Willow County Court after being cited with eight different offenses stemming from two unrelated incidents in January 2013 and March 2012. The offender, 23-year-old Christopher J. Mercer of 1208 W. Third Street Apt. A, was convicted on three of the eight offenses and ordered to serve a total of 180 days in county jail.

Mercer's most recent criminal offenses stemmed from the theft of various items from four different victims on Jan. 27, 2013. Mercer was originally cited with four Class II misdemeanor counts of theft by receiving stolen property valued at less than $200. The theft offenses stem from a prescription drug named Lisnopril stolen from Adam Siegfried; Ibuprofen stolen from Scott Kasch; an iPod speaker stolen from Pietro Giorgione; and a cell phone stolen from Rodney Brittain, according to court documents.

Mercer pleaded not guilty to all four counts in March before accepting a plea agreement in April dismissing three of the four charges.

Mercer was subsequently sentenced in late October on the remaining theft charge to serve 90 days in county jail. Red Willow County Court Judge Anne Paine ordered the jail sentence be served consecutively to a 90 day jail sentence in an unrelated assault case stemming from a March 2012 incident.

Mercer was originally cited with three offenses of third degree assault, one count of criminal mischief and an infraction for disturbing the peace stemming from the 2012 incident which occurred just after 2 a.m. at the McCook Apartments on East E Street.

Red Willow County Attorney Paul Wood did not pursue the disturbing the peace offense and indicated in court documents the victims did not obey their subpoena, resulting in two of the assault charges being dismissed.

Mercer pleaded no contest to one assault charge and the criminal mischief offense in July. The criminal mischief offense stemmed from $500 to $1,500 in damage caused to the apartment building at 906 East E Street in McCook, according to court documents.

Mercer was subsequently sentenced to 90 days jail time on each of the remaining two offenses, to be served at the same time but consecutively to the 90 day jail sentence in the theft case. Restitution in the amount of $542 to the McCook Apartments was converted to a civil judgement at sentencing.