WATERLOO, Iowa (Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier) — A former secretary for Iowa soil and water conservation districts has been charged with stealing from the organizations. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for Iowa’s Northern District says Leslie Carey was charged Monday with one count of wire fraud. The Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier reports her attorney filed a notice that she would plead guilty.

Carey was an administrative aide for the soil and water conservation districts in Black Hawk and Bremer counties from 2007 to 2017. She resigned after an overdrawn account led to a state audit.

There were six arrests over the past week, in Mills County. Sheriff’s Officials say at around 6:25-p.m Friday, 42-year old Sean Michael Gochenour, of Council Bluffs, was arrested for Felony Eluding, Theft in the 1st Degree, Possession of Controlled Substance, Possession of Burglary Tools, Interference with Official Acts, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, Driving Under Suspension (DUS), Reckless Driving, Failure to Maintain Control, Failure to Provide Proof of Financial Liability, and Speeding. His bond was set at $23,000.

Sean Michael Gochenour

His arrest stems from an attempted traffic stop on a 2006 Ford F-250 near 195th St./Allis Road, in Mills County. Authorities say the pickup failed to stop and attempted to elude law enforcement. After a brief chase that saw speeds reach in excess of 100-mph, stop-sticks were set-up. Gochenour tried to make a U-turn to avoid the sticks, and crash into a ditch. After a brief “Interaction” with law enforcement, the man was taken into custody. The pickup had been stolen out of Omaha. Glenwood Police and the Iowa State Patrol assisted with the incident.

Three people were arrested on separate charges Saturday, in Mills County, including:
19-year old Nathan Edward Lee Richardson, of Malvern, for OWI 2nd and Possession Alcohol Underage ($2,000 bond); 32-year old Jessica Lynn Audas, of Monroe, for Possession of Controlled Substance, Provide False Identification Information and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia (Bond $2,600); and, 48-year old Richard Shane Harsh, of Colfax, who was arrested for Violation of No Contact Order. (No Bond)

On Sunday, Mills County Deputies arrested: 21-year old Trey Thomas Denniston, of Nebraska City, NE., for OWI 1st offense (Bond $1,000) And, 22-year old Austin Cain Moore, of Essex, was arrested for DUS (Bond: $300)

Authorities said also, 91-year old George Rybar, of Bellevue, NE, suffered minor injuries following an accident at around 2-p.m. Sunday, on southbound Interstate 29, near mile marker 40. Authorities say his 2005 GMC was struck from behind by an unknown semi, causing The unknown semi drove fled the scene. Rybar drove to Bellevue, NE where he was later taken to a nearby hospital and treated for his injuries.

The Cass County Sheriff’s Office reports numerous arrests from Feb. 25th thru March 2nd.

• Today (Monday, March 2nd), 29-year old Justin Dale Hardisty, of Cumberland, was arrested on a District Court warrant for Probation Violation. Hardisty was taken to the Cass County Jail where he remains held on $7,500 bond.
• On Sunday (March 1st), 20-year old Kuachh Deng Kuach, of Sioux City, was arrested on charges of OWI 1st Offense, and Interference with Official Acts. Kuach was taken to the Cass County Jail and released the following day on his own recognizance.
• On Saturday, February 29thh, Cass County Deputies arrested 51-year old Richard James Linfor, of Red Oak, on charges of Possession of Methamphetamine 1st Offense  and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. Linfor was taken to the Cass County Jail and released the following day on $1,000 bond. And, 55-year old Ronnie Robert Larkin, of Council Bluffs, was arrested on a warrant for Probation Violation. Larkin was taken to the Cass County Jail where he remains held on $5,000 bond.
• Last Friday, 41-year old Justin David Altstadt, of Missouri Valley, was arrested in Cass County on a Police Department warrant for Violation of a No Contact Order. Altstadt was taken to the Cass County Jail and released the following day on $1,000 bond.
• On February 26th, 19-year old Jordan Terrance Frazier, of Atlantic, was arrested by Cas County Deputies, on a District Court warrant for Failure to Appear. Frazier was taken to the Cass County Jail and released the following day on $1,000 bond.
• And, there were three arrests on Feb. 25th in Cass County:

22-year old Aisha Chanel Green, of Omaha, was arrested on a Pottawattamie County warrant for Probation Violation. Green was taken to the Cass County Jail and released later that day to Pottawattamie County authorities; 22-year old Carney La-Myah Hall, of Highland Park, MI, was arrested on a charge of OWI 1st Offense. Hall was taken to the Cass County Jail and released later that day on her own recognizance; and, 28-year old Scott Hallie Joseph Downer, of Atlantic, was arrested on two Sheriff’s Office warrants for Driving While Barred. Downer was taken to the Cass County Jail and released later that day on $4,000 bond.

The Cass County Sheriff’s Office reports two accidents took place Feb. 23rd. The first happened at around 8:20-p.m., on Main Street in Anita. Officials say a 2004 GMC Envoy driven by 38-year old Samuel Lee Farley, of Anita, was eastbound on Main Street when it struck a legally parked 2013 Ford Taurus owned by Elizabeth Lillard, of Wiota. No injuries were reported. Damage to Lillard’s vehicle is estimated at $5,000; damage to Farley’s vehicle is estimated at $3,000. Upon investigation, the Cass County Sheriff’s Office arrested Farley on a charge of Driving While Barred. Farley was taken to the Cass County Jail and later transferred to Polk County on an active Polk County warrant.

And, at around 11:33-p.m. Feb. 23rd, Cass County Deputies responded to a report of a vehicle ramming another vehicle on 7th Street in Griswold. Authorities say a 2001 Jeep Grand Cherokee driven by 38-year old Max Amillion Schlund, of LaVista, NE, backed into and struck a 2016 Jeep Cherokee owned by Shawn Lee Elliff, and occupied by individuals.

No injuries were reported. Damage to Schlund’s vehicle is estimated at $1,500; damage to Elliff’s vehicle is estimated at $3,000. Upon investigation, Schlund was arrested on a charge of Assault Using a Dangerous Weapon. He was transported to the Cass County Jail and released later that day on $2,000 bond.

A woman from central Iowa faces OWI & PCS charges following an accident investigation on westbound Interstate 80 in Adair County, Saturday. The Adair County Sheriff’s Office reports 31-year old Miranda Lynn Torres, of Des Moines, was reportedly driving her SUV all over the road prior to ending up partially in the median next to a cable barrier, near Menlo.

EMS dispatched to the scene at around 5:10-a.m. reported the woman would not get out of her vehicle and that they had witnessed a gallon-size zip-style plastic baggie with a large quantity of marijuana on the front passenger seat. There was also a strong smell of marijuana coming from inside the vehicle.

Torres said she was on her way to Florida, but became lost, so she decided to pull over and sleep. The woman admitted to a Deputy that she had smoked marijuana the night before. A marijuana blunt and marijuana were confirmed to be inside the SUV. Torres also blew over the legal limit on a breath test for alcohol consumption. She was taken into custody for OWI/1st offense and Possession of a Controlled Substance/Marijuana. Torres was released later that same day on a $2,000 cash or surety bond.

And, on Feb. 26th, 37-year old Joseph Lee Reynolds, of Stuart, was arrested by an Adair County Deputy, on warrants for Violation of Probation, and Driving While Barred. He was being held in the Adair County Jail, on a $10,000 cash-only bond.

Sheriff’s officials in Pottawattamie County report 40-year old Adam Paul Herzog was arrested Friday night in Oakland. Herzog was taken into custody at around 9:35-p.m. for Assault with the intent to commit sexual abuse -without injury/by forcible fondling. His alleged victim was a 34-year old woman. A traffic stop in the Hancock area at around 2:30-a.m. Saturday, resulted in the arrest of 27-year old Levi Eckert Schroder.  He was arrested after deputies investigated a suspicious vehicle at the Silver Valley Cemetery, near Pinoak Road and 360th Street.

Authorities say Schroder was found intoxicated by a tombstone, and was concealing a .45-caliber handgun on his person. Schroder was arrested for OWI/2nd offense, and Carrying Weapons while intoxicated. And, at around 7:40-p.m. Friday, 28-year old Dustin Dean Baker was arrested for OWI/1st offense, following a traffic stop in the Crescent area.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A ballot campaign seeking to legalize medical marijuana in Nebraska has announced new support from a group led by a former state senator and a firm that helps pass statewide ballot measures. Nebraskans for Medical Marijuana says it is working with ADOPT, a coalition led by former state Sen. Tommy Garrett, of Bellevue. Garrett is an outspoken supporter of medical marijuana and previously introduced legalization bills in the Legislature. The campaign says it has also hired 1st Tuesday Campaigns, a national group based in Washington, D.C. and Los Angeles that has worked with ballot campaigns in other states.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Four of the Americans who were exposed to a new virus on a cruise ship in Japan and were being monitored at an Omaha hospital have been released from quarantine. The University of Nebraska Medical Center says two of them never tested positive for the new coronavirus and were cleared for release Monday. Two others left quarantine on Sunday after testing negative. Eleven more people who were evacuated from the Diamond Princess two weeks ago all tested positive for COVID-19. They will have to test negative three times, 24 hours apart, before they can leave quarantine.