Cortez man pleads guilty to hay fraud
A Cortez man pleaded guilty this week to misdemeanor theft in connection with the Colorado Farm Products Act.
Court records reveal that Greg Jones, 49, wrote a $2,400 check on a closed account to purchase 240 bales of alfalfa from a Lewis rancher in December 2011. Presented on Tuesday, Aug. 5, the plea agreement stipulates that Jones could receive 12 months of probation and be ordered to pay restitution of $2,688. He’ll be sentenced next month.
In a letter to the court in March, the rancher described Jones as a “predator,” adding the defendant had no compassion for the hard-working farming communities in this area.
Man pleads guilty in drug case
A Cortez man pleaded guilty to felony drug possession and misdemeanor menacing on Tuesday.
With no prior felony drug convictions, William Linga, age unknown, could have the felony possession charged reduced to a misdemeanor after successfully completing probation. He could receive a maximum 12 months in jail at sentencing next month.
Last week, the court rejected a plea deal, saying that Linga had multiple bond violations and routinely appeared late for proceedings.
According to court records, Linga was arrested and charged with possession of a controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia and bond violation in connection to a menacing charge on March 25.
The menacing charge involved Linga brandishing a BB gun during a road rage incident, prosecutors said.
Home invasion suspect pleads not guilty
A co-defendant in a Valentine’s Day home invasion pleaded not guilty to all charges this week.
At her arraignment on Tuesday, Aug. 5, Jessica Olson, 26, of Cortez, pleaded not guilty to forgery, second-degree burglary, criminal mischief and theft. Her trial, expected to last three days, was set for Dec. 1.
The forgery case stems from a Jan. 29 incident involving a stolen check that was cashed for $475. The alleged victim was a 64-year-old Cortez woman.
The remaining charges are in connection to a Feb. 14 home invasion on County Road 33. In that case, Olson and a co-defendant allegedly smashed through a window of the home, and stole eight antique Kachina dolls valued at $4,000, an air compressor, greenhouse, turkey cooker, necklace and Blue Ray player.
The second suspect in the Valentine’s Day burglary, Gary Soza, 38, of Cortez, was scheduled to appear in court on Thursday.
Tobie Baker
