The Pershing County 11th Judicial Court met on Monday, Sept 20. Judge Jim Shirley presided.
Plea hearings
Jose Javier Figueroa, 22, came to court from the Pershing County jail for a plea hearing. He has retained Reno attorney Brett Whipple. The defendant pleaded guilty to one count of voluntary manslaughter and one count of carrying a concealed weapon.
Figueroa admits to fatally shooting Joshua McDonald, 39, on Nov. 3, 2020, at 150 Main Street in Lovelock. Officers arrested Figueroa, 21, the next day. Judge Shirley sentences him on Nov. 15.
Debony Lanier Maffett II came to court from jail for a review hearing. In Apr. 2021, the PCSO booked Maffett, 26, for resisting a public officer with the use of a firearm. He subsequently pleaded guilty at his arraignment.
The defense requested Maffett’s release from jail in the care of his mother, present in the courtroom.
The court ordered Maffett to complete a veteran’s program in Dallas, Texas, where he is a legal resident. The judge made treatment a mandatory condition of Maffett’s three-year probation.
“You need to get down there and start doing the program. I don’t want to send law enforcement after you,” the judge said.
James Ernest Burrows came to court from Calif. for a plea hearing. His attorney said Burrows decided not to follow the plea agreement reached at his mediation hearing with Judge Janet Berry. He maintains his innocence and wants to proceed to trial.
In Feb. 2021, the PCSO booked Burrows, 56, on allegations of domestic battery by strangulation. The judge set the trial for Feb. 28 through Mar. 4.
Probation violation hearings
Delson Leon Williams admitted to violating several of the terms and conditions of his probation. However, according to his lawyer, Williams wants to address the issues that landed him under court-ordered supervision. He obtained a substance abuse evaluation while in jail and hopes to follow its recommendations.
Williams requested permission to attend New Frontier in Fallon for 60 days and then enter a transitional living program. He apologized to the court.
On Aug. 8, Churchill County deputies arrested Williams for a DUI. According to the violation report, they also charged him with displaying a fake vehicle registration, revoked driver’s license, failure to yield the right of way and entering a controlled access highway. He admitted to using methamphetamine a couple of days before the incident.
The judge reinstated Williams on probation. However the defendant must secure a bed date for treatment before getting out of the Pershing County jail.
Timothy Gene Deboer admitted to violating the terms of his diversionary probation for a possession-level offense. He’s six months into a 16-72 month prison sentence from Humboldt County for a similar offense.
“I want to thank the court for letting me participate in drug court. Even though I did not complete it, I learned a lot,” he said.
Judge Shirley gave Deboer 12-48 months and ordered the time to run concurrently with the Humboldt County case.
The court continued Jeannette Irene Chamberlain’s telephonic probation violation hearing until Oct 4. The Wyoming resident admits to some of the violations but denies others. The 11th Judicial wants to hear from her supervising officer. Chamberlain is on a three-year diversion for a Pershing County DUI.
Sentencing
Serafina Gomez came to court for a sentencing hearing. She previously pleaded guilty to gross misdemeanor child abuse. Her lawyer noted that she’s had no interactions with law enforcement since her release from custody two weeks ago. The DA’s office notified the victims of the hearing but they declined to attend.
The judge gave Gomez a suspended sentence with one year of probation. The court can extend the probationary period for one year if she needs more time to complete treatment.
