Change of Plea Hearing in District Court

A change of plea hearing was held Thursday in Fourth Judicial District Court in Sheridan for 41-year-old Howard Tate, who is charged with two counts of Felony Interference With a Peace Officer. Pursuant to terms of a plea agreement reached with the State, Tate pleaded “guilty” to both counts. The plea deal recommends a sentence of 2 to 5 years in prison for each count, suspended in lieu of a split sentence of time served in jail through sentencing and 2 ½ years of supervised probation. The sentences for each count will run concurrent to one another. District Court Judge John Fenn ordered that a presentence investigation be completed and set the sentencing date for December 17 at 10:15 am.

According to court documents, Tate was arrested and taken into custody on May 9 on separate battery charges, and while he was being booked into the Sheridan County Detention Center, he became uncooperative and combative with two deputies at the Detention Center. Tate dug his nails into the thumb of one of the deputies hard enough to penetrate through the glove the deputy was wearing, causing a wound. Tate also caused various injuries to the deputies by scratching and clawing at them while they were attempting to book him into jail.