Riley County District Court granted an Ogden man a bond modification Monday after he entered a plea agreement with Riley County prosecutors. Ashton Daniel Troughton, 22, pleaded guilty to two counts of aggravated assault of law enforcement officers and agreed to take anger management classes. He will also register as a violent offender. In exchange for his plea, attorneys for the state dropped Troughton’s remaining charge of reckless driving. Police arrested Troughton Dec. 21 for the crimes after he drove his vehicle toward two Riley County Police Department officers who were leaving a call for service at 20949 Tuttle Creek…
Author: Rose Gruenbacher
Development in the Manhattan Business Park near the Manhattan Regional Airport is moving along, according to the Manhattan Area Chamber of Commerce. Daryn Soldan, director of economic development for the chamber, briefed the Riley County Commissioners during their meeting Thursday on progress in the area. Soldan said work on the new Amazon facility is nearing completion, with landscaping work being done currently. He did not give an exact date for the facility’s expected completion. To view the full article visit theMercury.com.
Members of the Riley County Health Department are preparing for a possible influx of foreign or unseasonable diseases this summer as soccer fans from across the globe travel to Kansas City for the FIFA World Cup. Michelle Horstmeier, public health emergency preparedness coordinator, said she’s been attending weekly FIFA updates and webinars updating the state on possible infectious diseases that may be introduced by incoming visitors. She said the main focus of the webinars have been outbreaks, foreign diseases, cyber security and active shooter training. One main concern for the department is respiratory syncytial virus and flu season. To view…
The jury in a Riley County District Court case against a former Junction City Middle School wrestling coach decided the man was not guilty Thursday morning of sexual misconduct against two girls he knows. Mason Dusseault, 23, of Junction City was found not guilty for one count of aggravated indecent liberties with a child and one count of indecent liberties with a child. He was accused of inappropriately touching two 7th grade girls involved with the wrestling team. Dusseault maintained his innocence throughout the court proceedings.
A Junction City man took the witness stand Wednesday in Riley County District Court and denied claims that he had inappropriate sexual contact with two Junction City Middle School girls. Mason Dusseault, 22, was an assistant wrestling coach at JCMS when, prosecutors for the state said, he fondled two girls aged 13 and 14 years old who were involved with the team. Police arrested Dusseault April 29 and charged him with aggravated indecent liberties with a child and indecent liberties with a child. He was released from jail on a $50,000 bond. To view the full article visit theMercury.com.
A Riley County District Court jury heard opening statements Tuesday in the case of a 22-year-old Junction City man charged with sex crimes against children he knows. Mason Dusseault was an assistant wrestling coach at Junction City Middle School when prosecutors for the state say he fondled two 7th grade girls involved with the team. Police arrested Dusseault April 29 and charged him with aggravated indecent liberties with a child and indecent liberties with a child. He was released from jail on a $50,000 bond. To view the full article visit theMercury.com.
An ex-Riley County Police Department officer is scheduled for a September jury trial in Riley County District Court after the parties failed to reach a plea agreement Monday. Stephen Benjamin Clark, 42, of Manhattan is charged with two counts of breach of privacy disseminating sexual media of a person aged 18 years or older, harassment by telecom device and unlawful computer acts. Court records show Monday’s hearing was originally set as a plea deal, but any potential deal apparently fell through as the case continued with arraignment and Clark pleaded not guilty to all four counts. To view the full…
Prosecuting attorneys on Wednesday began laying out the case against a Texas man charged with drug distribution in Riley County District Court. Jose Miguel Rivera, 33, of Balch Springs is charged with distribution of at least 1 kilogram of cocaine, between 100 grams and 1 kilogram of cocaine, between 100 grams and 1 kilogram of psilocybin — also known as mushrooms — and between 25 and 450 grams of marijuana. He is also charged with using a cell phone to commit, cause or facilitate the commission of distribution of controlled substances. On Tuesday afternoon and Wednesday morning, assistant Riley County…
In recent months, members of the Riley County Law Enforcement Agency Board said they’ve gotten comments from the public as well as within the board about 287(g) agreements with federal immigration enforcement agencies. As a result, Monday’s meeting of the board included a presentation from member Craig Beardsley and ensuing discussion with the purpose of informing the board about the agreements. The Riley County Police Department does not have an agreement with ICE. Officials added the discussion to Monday’s agenda “to acquaint board members with a federal program in which approximately 23 local Kansas law enforcement agencies and one state…
A bill requiring that people convicted of certain felonies be held without bond until sentencing cleared another hurdle toward becoming state law. The Kansas House of Representatives judiciary committee on Tuesday filed a recommendation that Kansas Senate Bill 358 be passed by the House body. SB 358 wouldn’t have been considered by any of the legislature if it weren’t for a group of Manhattan women. Along with other victims of sexual crimes, some of the 19 victims of former chiropractor Clark Petersen turned to Rep. Sydney Carlin, D-66th District, to help them sponsor what would become SB358. The bill requires…