Newton County Circuit Court convened during the first week of December to hear cases from the September Grand Jury.
The following plea agreements and verdicts were reached during the court’s session:
•Joshua Earl Wilkerson and Thomas Shelton Strickland, possession of methamphetamine – 18 months in prison and a $2,500 fine for Wilkerson; Drug Court for Strickland
•Randal Joe James, failure to stop motor vehicle – case continued to April 2020
•Randall K. Ward, taking away a motor vehicle – Ward was sentenced to two years in the pretrial intervention program
•Kenneth Paul Ainsworth and Jesse Lee Nelson, burglary of an unoccupied dwelling, habitual offender for Nelson – Ainsworth was sentenced to drug court. Nelson has entered a plea of guilty, but no judgement is currently available.
•Ryan Anthony Jackson, burglary of a dwelling – case continued to April 2020
•Glenn D. Hollingsworth Jr., fraudulently obtaining public funds – two years pretrial intervention program
•William Cumberland, burglary of a dwelling – case continued to April 2020
•Sarah Marie Ward, possession of methamphetamine – two years pretrial intervention program
