The Pershing County 11th Judicial met last Monday, as snow flurries dropped precipitation on Lovelock. Judge Jim Shirley presided.
Corey Jonathan Light, 30, came to court from jail for arraignment on charges of domestic battery by strangulation. He pleaded guilty to the Category C felony.
“I strangled my wife. I committed domestic battery by choking her. I grabbed her by the neck, picked her up and put her down on the ground,” he said. In exchange for the guilty plea, DA Bryce Shields won’t file further charges.
Light faces the possibility of one to five years in prison and fines up to $10,000. However, in the plea agreement, the prosecution and defense jointly recommend probation. The defendant returns to court for sentencing on July 6.
Steve Cochran asked for a conditional release from jail, which Shields opposed. The DA observed that Light scored seven on the Nevada Pretrial Risk (NPR) Assessment, indicating a moderate risk of reoffending.
“Adequate safeguards can be structured that would give him a trial run between now and July 6,” countered the defense attorney.
The judge advised Cochran to file a written motion. The victim was present in the courtroom and opposed her husband’s release from jail.
Other hearings
Thomas Edmon Ames, 56, came to court from jail, where he’s been for the past five months. He faced sentencing for failure to register as a sex offender within 48 hours after his arrival in Pershing County, a D felony.
The crime of omission is punishable by one to four years in prison. It also qualifies for probation. The guilty plea agreement calls for 180 days flat time in the Pershing County jail followed by two years of probation. The court set a follow-up hearing after Ames gets out of jail in six months. After his release he has 120 days to pay $178 in court costs.
Debony Lanier Mafett II, of Austin TX, was not present at his review hearing. In Apr. 2021, Maffet, then 26, was booked for resisting a public officer with the use of a firearm. He pleaded guilty at his arraignment.
At sentencing, the judge made veterans court a condition of Maffett’s three-year probation. Maffett agreed to enter a diversion program, which would have wiped his record clean after completing all the requirements. However, he moved to an area in Texas that does not have a veterans court.
Shields said, under the circumstances, he’d prefer for Maffett to be reinstated on probation without diversion.
The judge set another hearing for May 23. Maffett can participate by telephone.
Daniel Nicholas Eggers came to court from jail for a review hearing. He faces allegations of custodial kidnapping. He allegedly failed to deliver a child for a court-appointed visit with the mother and left the state with the child.
The judge ordered Eggers released from custody. He may see his child only under supervision in a licensed facility. Kyle Swanson represents the defendant.
Garrett Don Cooney, 21, was arraigned on charges of possessing a controlled substance, methamphetamine. He came to court from jail where he has been since Jan. 6. Kyle Swanson represents the defendant. Cooney pleaded guilty to the Category E felony.
Cochran and Shields jointly recommended drug court in the mandatory probation case. The judge ordered Cooney released from custody and advised him to apply to the drug court by the end of the week. He returns to court on July 6 for a status hearing.
Danilio Gustavo Moreno came to court from jail for his arraignment hearing. He pleaded not guilty to eluding a public officer, a Category B felony. On Apr. 18, 2022, Moreno allegedly failed to bring his vehicle to a stop when ordered to do so by a marked patrol unit.
According to court documents he allegedly drove the car in a way likely to cause harm to others.The records say he led sheriff’s deputies on a low speed chase on I-80 going in the wrong direction for a two mile stretch.
Cochran noted that Moreno has a disability. However, he said he has no concerns about his legal competency. The case is currently in negotiations. Moreno returns to court on May 23.
Five defendants petitioned for early release from probation, four honorable and one dishonorable. Three came to court and two participated by phone. In each case, the DA said he lacked documentation of their progress. The judge asked the probation department to get the information to the DA.
Fedrico Caldera came to court from prison accompanied by two correctional officers. His attorney, Georden Goebel, participated in the case management conference by phone.
