Plea entered in possession case

Monday in Hot Springs District Court, Ambra O’Brien pleaded guilty to possession of a controlled substance. The charge stems from a July 1 incident, during which O’Brien was found to have Oxycodone.

O’Brien was picked up after a report came in of her walking down the center line of Highway 20 near mile marker 134. According to court documents, a Hot Sprigns County deputy received the initial report, but requested a Bureau of Land Management (BLM) ranger check on it as he was assisting a Wyoming Highway Patrol trooper.

Documents further state O’Brien said she also had marijuana and LSD on her, and in court Monday it was stated the amount of Oxycodone was 5.88 grams.

As part of a plea agreement, O’Brien would have a deferred sentence of five years supervised probation, which would be concurrent with the one year of supervised probation she is serving in Circuit Court.

Though O’Brien entered a guilty plea, Judge Robert Skar said he would hold off on accepting it until a pre-sentence investigation is complete. If the judge chooses not to accept the plea, O’Brien would be able to withdraw it.

Also in District Court, Samantha Messick had her three-year probation sentence revoked and reinstated. In October of 2016, Messick was sentenced to 2.5 to four years in prison for conspiracy to wrongful receiving, concealing or disposing of property. The charge stems from a June 30, 2016 incident in which Messick and Jerome Dunks stole a motorcycle and were speeding on it along the highway and in town. Messick was also sentenced to eight months probation, served concurrently, on a charge of interference with a peace officer.

When initially sentenced, Messick stated she believed she could complete the probation. However, she failed to meet with the probation office so that probation was revoked.

A pre-trial conference was conducted for Ian Sturgeon, who faces charges of possession of methamphetamine with intent to deliver and possession of methamphetamine, both of which stem from a March 6 incident.

A motion to suppress in the case, filed by Sturgeon, was approved following lengthy proceedings on Oct. 30. During Monday’s proceedings, it was noted that, with the approved motion, the case against Sturgeon doesn’t have the strength it previously did. However, Sturgeon is also is facing a charge of felony property destruction in a new case, though his bond was modified to a $10,000 signature bond.