District Court News

A Sheridan man pleaded guilty to a felony drug charge Thursday in Fourth Judicial District Court in Sheridan. Sheridan Media’s Ron Richter has the details.

On September 22, 2023, Jake Kolden was arrested in Sheridan County for being in possession of more than three grams of methamphetamine. Kolden was arrested for the crime following a search of his home by an agent with Probation and Parole and a deputy with the Sheridan County Sheriff’s Office. Kolden was on probation for being convicted of strangulation of a household member in 2022. He received a sentence of 3 to 5 years in prison, suspended in lieu of a split-sentence of 120 days in jail followed by three years of supervised probation.

Kolden pleaded guilty to a charge of felony possession of a controlled substance at a hearing Thursday in District Court. The plea agreement reached with the State recommends a sentence of 2 to 4 years in prison, suspended in lieu of three years of supervised probation. The plea agreement is non-binding, meaning the judge can reject the plea deal altogether at sentencing and the defendant cannot withdraw their guilty plea.

District Court Judge Darci Phillips ordered that a presentence investigation be completed by Probation and Parole and scheduled the sentencing for May 16 at 10:45 am.

Also from District Court:

A change of plea hearing was held Thursday for 24-year-old Trae Huerta. On October 24, 2023, Huerta was arrested and charged with two felonies, possession of a controlled substance for being in possession of five grams of cocaine, and endangering children, for having care or custody of a child where fentanyl was stored. Huerta, pursuant to terms of a plea agreement reached with the State, pleaded guilty to both of the charges at Thursday’s hearing.

The State is recommending a sentence of 2 to 4 years in prison for each of the charges and to run the sentences concurrent to one another and concurrent to an unrelated case in Washakie County. District Court Judge Darci Phillips ordered that a presentence investigation be completed by Probation and Parole and scheduled the sentencing for May 23 at 9 am in District Court. Huerta’s bond was revoked and he was remanded to the custody of the Sheridan County Detention Center pending sentencing.