Deshler man reaches plea agreement, Columbus man sentenced to jail

Davis Weideman, 21, formerly of Deshler and now living in Carleton, reached a plea agreement with state prosecutors last week during his pretrial in Thayer County district court Tuesday, June 4. Defense attorney John F. Recknor of Recknor, Wertz & Associates in Lincoln, said Weideman would agree to plead “no contest” to one count of sexual assault of a child, a class 3A felony, if two charges of class 2 felony charges of sexual assault of a child were dropped.

Recknor said his defendant, who has been in the Air Force since his arrest, wanted to abide by the military “code of honor” and understood his plea agreement would be the best way to proceed in this situation.

Weideman was arrested in September 2012 and accused of having sex with a 14-year-old teenager over a span of several months. He was 19  years old at the time and said the contact was consensual. The victim’s mother, whose name is being withheld to protect the teenager’s identity, reported the incident to local law enforcement.

A class 3A felony carries a maximum of five years imprisonment with no minimum and/or a $10,000 fine.
Weideman is scheduled for sentencing in August.

Bortle

Adam M. Bortle, 25, formerly of Columbus, was sentenced Tuesday to 180 days in the county jail on a felony theft conviction. In January, Bortle was accused of stealing a 2002 Pontiac Grand Prix valued at $5,265 belonging to John Kohl Auto Center, Inc., of York. The vehicle was parked on Lincoln Avenue in Hebron when Bortle took it.

During sentencing, attorney Joseph Casson, of the public defender’s office, requested a jail sentence on behalf of Bortle instead of probation due to other arrest warrants issued in Platte and Polk counties.

Judge Johnson said prior to sentencing that although Bortle’s criminal history was minimal (one infraction and three misdemeanors), his inconsistent work history and current charges against him (five misdemeanors and four felonies) concerned her. Casson said if Bortle is convicted of any of the current charges in Platte or Polk counties, a sentence of probation in Thayer County would be revoked adding a whole new list of charges.

Judge Johnson then sentenced Bortle to the jail term and said he was responsible for $426 in restitution as well as any mileage incurred from Thayer County law enforcement, plus $279 in costs.

Bortle also received 92 days credit for time served and is currently serving his time in the Platte County jail.