Davison County felony court cases for June 17

MITCHELL — The following cases were among those heard Tuesday, June 17, during a circuit court session at the Davison County Public Safety Center, with Judge Chris Giles presiding:

• Joseph Darville, 42, of Tea, appeared in court for his arraignment, which was continued for two weeks to allow him time to apply for a court-appointed attorney. He faces a Class 2 misdemeanor charge for possession of drug paraphernalia and a Class 5 felony charge for possession of methamphetamine.
• Dustin Rosandic, 39, of Sioux Falls, failed to appear in court. He is facing multiple charges, including intentional damage to property under $400, a Class 2 misdemeanor; grand theft of property valued between $1,000 and $2,500, a Class 6 felony; and seven counts of third-degree burglary, all Class 5 felonies. As a result of his failure to appear, the court issued a $5,000 cash bench warrant for his arrest.
• Michael St. Pierre, 26, of Mitchell, appeared in court for a status hearing. Earlier this month, he denied violating the terms of his probation. He is currently on probation for a third-or-subsequent offense domestic abuse simple assault conviction. St. Pierre now faces additional charges, including abuse or cruelty to a minor, a Class 3 felony, as well as several misdemeanors: second-offense DUI, domestic abuse simple assault, and reckless driving, all Class 1 misdemeanors. A request to modify his bond was denied by the court.
• Dustin Zephier, 30, of Mitchell, pleaded guilty to possession of methamphetamine, a Class 5 felony. As part of a plea agreement, several other charges, including driving under the influence, a Class 1 misdemeanor; and driving with a suspended license and possession of drug paraphernalia, both Class 2 misdemeanors, were dismissed. Zephier was sentenced to five years in prison, with all time suspended. He was also fined $750 and placed on two years of probation.
• Courtney Stork, 45, of Mitchell, appeared in court on two separate sets of charges. In one case, he faces charges of possession of drug paraphernalia, a Class 2 misdemeanor; possession of two ounces or less of marijuana, a Class 1 misdemeanor; and possession of cocaine, a Class 5 felony. In a separate case, he is charged with possession of Ambien, a Class 6 felony. Earlier this month, Stork had his court-appointed attorney removed and chose to represent himself. He filed motions to have some of the charges dismissed and also requested a bond modification, seeking release on a personal recognizance (PR) bond. The court denied the motion to dismiss but granted the bond modification. Stork was released on a PR bond and is required to wear a drug patch and comply with parole conditions.
• Jesus Garcia, 35, of Mitchell, appeared in court for a motions hearing. He is facing a probation violation, along with charges of hit-and-run causing death or injury, a Class 6 felony; driving with a suspended license; and failure to yield while making a left turn, both Class 2 misdemeanors. Garcia requested a personal recognizance (PR) bond, which the court granted. As a condition of his release, he was ordered to participate in the 24/7 sobriety program.
• Bryon Fischer, 51, of Sioux Falls, appeared in court for a status hearing related to an alleged probation violation. He requested a bond modification, but the court denied the request. A court trial on the probation violation is scheduled for two weeks from now.
• Andrea Buchholz, 33, of Mitchell, admitted to violating her probation and pleaded guilty to violating a no contact order involving a victim, which is a Class 1 misdemeanor. As part of a plea agreement, two charges were dismissed. These include fourth-offense domestic abuse simple assault, which is also a Class 1 misdemeanor, and first-degree burglary, a Class 2 felony. For the probation violation, Buchholz was sentenced to two years in prison, with credit for 144 days already served. For the misdemeanor charge, she received a 30-day jail sentence, with 29 days suspended and credit for one day served.
• Washake Vaughn, 23, of Mitchell, admitted to violating the terms of probation. Vaughn is currently on probation for an accessory to a felony conviction, which is a Class 5 felony. The court ordered that the two-year probation period be restarted.
• Larry Sudbeck, 61, of Mitchell, pleaded guilty to a second-offense DUI, which is a Class 1 misdemeanor. He was sentenced to 90 days in jail, with 80 days suspended. He was also fined $500 and had his driver’s license revoked for one year.
• Alexandra Smith, 37, of Mitchell, pleaded guilty to possession of fentanyl, a Class 5 felony. She was sentenced to two years of probation and ordered to pay a $600 fine.
• Dan Butler, 48, of White Lake, appeared in court for his arraignment. He is charged with possession of methamphetamine, a Class 5 felony; possession of drug paraphernalia, driving with a suspended license, and careless driving, all Class 2 misdemeanors; and refusal to surrender his license, a Class 1 misdemeanor. The case was continued for two weeks to give him time to retain an attorney.
• Trestin Gunhammer, 29, of Wagner, pleaded not guilty to grand theft involving an amount between $2,500 and $5,000 and possession of a controlled substance (hash wax), both Class 5 felonies, as well as to an open container violation, a Class 2 misdemeanor. The court granted his request for a personal recognizance bond. A jury trial is scheduled for October.
• Lindsey Hatwan, 45, of Ethan, pleaded not guilty to possession of methamphetamine, a Class 5 felony; possession of a firearm with a prior felony conviction, a Class 6 felony; and possession of drug paraphernalia, a Class 2 misdemeanor. A jury trial is set for October.
• Thomas Givens Jr., 38, of Rock Hill, South Carolina, pleaded guilty to possession of a controlled substance, a Class 5 felony. As part of a plea agreement, several other charges were dismissed. These include four additional counts of possession of a controlled substance, all Class 5 felonies; distribution of drugs, a Class 4 felony; possession of unauthorized articles in jail, a Class 6 felony; possession of two ounces or less of marijuana, a Class 1 misdemeanor; and possession of drug paraphernalia, a Class 2 misdemeanor. Givens is scheduled to be sentenced in six weeks.
• Roger Hall, 63, of Mitchell, pleaded guilty to distribution of methamphetamine, a Class 4 felony. As part of a plea agreement, charges of possession of methamphetamine, a Class 5 felony, and possession of drug paraphernalia, a Class 2 misdemeanor, were dismissed. Hall was sentenced to 10 years in prison, with six years suspended and credit for 82 days already served. He was also fined $1,000.
• Michael Green, 18, from Wagner, pleaded not guilty to multiple charges. These include grand theft involving an amount between $2,500 and $5,000 and possession of a controlled substance (hash wax), both classified as Class 5 felonies. He also faces charges of having an open container in a vehicle and consuming alcohol as a minor, which are Class 2 misdemeanors. A jury trial is set for October.
• Selena Ross, 19, of Mitchell, admitted to a probation violation. She is serving an eight-year probation term for an intentional damage to property charge, a Class 4 felony. The court has ordered that her probation period restart from the beginning.
• Melany St. Pierre, 22, of Mitchell, pleaded not guilty to several charges. These include abuse or cruelty to a minor, a Class 3 felony; a fourth-offense DUI, a Class 5 felony; domestic abuse simple assault, reckless driving, and obstructing police, all Class 1 misdemeanors; and an open container violation, a Class 2 misdemeanor. A jury trial is scheduled for October.
• David Goodwin, 45, of Dolton, admitted to violating the terms of his probation. He is currently serving probation for a Class 6 felony charge of possessing unauthorized articles in jail. The court ordered that his three-year probation term restart from the beginning.
• Jordan Thuringer, 22, of Mitchell, pleaded not guilty to a third-offense DUI, a Class 6 felony, as well as an open container violation, a Class 2 misdemeanor. A jury trial is set for October.
• Aaron Unzelman, 39, of Sioux Falls, pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute meth, originally a Class 4 felony. However, due to his status as a habitual offender, the charge is elevated to a Class 2 felony. As part of a plea agreement, several other charges were dismissed, including unauthorized manufacturing, distribution, counterfeiting, or possession of meth, a Class 3 felony; possession of meth and cocaine, and unauthorized ingestion of meth, all Class 5 felonies; as well as driving without a license and possession of drug paraphernalia, both Class 2 misdemeanors. Sentencing is scheduled for six weeks from now.
• Nicholas Gearman, 31, of Burnsville, Minnesota, pleaded not guilty to multiple charges. These include possession of fentanyl and meth, unauthorized ingestion of both substances, and possession of a controlled substance (Alprazolam), all classified as Class 5 felonies, as well as possession of drug paraphernalia, a Class 2 misdemeanor. The court approved a request to reduce his bond to a personal recognizance (PR) bond. A jury trial is set for October.
• Brad Betts, 39, of Mitchell, pleaded guilty to failure to accurately provide information, a Class 6 felony. As part of a plea deal, a separate Class 6 felony charge for failing to register every six months was dismissed. Betts was sentenced to two years in prison, with the sentence fully suspended. He was also fined $300 and placed on 18 months of probation.
• Steven Dion, 25, of Lake Andes, pleaded not guilty to several charges. These include grand theft of property valued between $2,500 and $5,000 and possession of a controlled substance (hash wax), both Class 5 felonies; impersonating a law enforcement officer with intent to deceive, a Class 1 misdemeanor; and an open container violation, a Class 2 misdemeanor. The court granted a request to reduce his bond to a personal recognizance (PR) bond. A jury trial is scheduled for October.

• Alex Schaffer, 29, of Mitchell, admitted to violating the terms of his probation, which he is serving for a first-offense DUI. He now faces new charges, including a fourth-offense DUI, a Class 5 felony, and driving without a license, a Class 2 misdemeanor. Schaffer is scheduled to be arraigned on the new charges next month. He was recently accepted into the James Valley Drug and DUI Court program. As a result of the probation violation, the court ordered his three-year probation term to restart.