District Court News

A 27-year-old man who was originally arrested and charged with two crimes in 2017 was recently sentenced in Fourth Judicial District Court in Sheridan. Sheridan Media’s Ron Richter has the details.

In April of 2017 in Sheridan County, Bryan Smith was charged with felony aggravated assault and battery and misdemeanor battery for threatening an individual with a firearm. Smith, following an initial appearance in Circuit Court, failed to show for an arraignment hearing in District Court on May 9, 2017. A bench warrant was issued for his arrest following his failure to appear for the hearing. Smith absconded from the court’s jurisdiction and had been on the lam since his arrest in Iowa this April. Smith waived extradition and was transferred to Sheridan County to be arraigned for the crimes he committed five years ago.

Smith, at a recent hearing in District Court in Sheridan, changed his plea pursuant to terms of a plea agreement reached with the State. Smith pleaded guilty to the misdemeanor battery charge and in exchange for his guilty plea, the prosecution agreed to dismiss the aggravated assault and battery charge. District Court Judge Darci Phillips accepted the terms of the plea agreement and sentenced Smith to 76 days of time served and ordered him to pay $200 in various court costs and fees.