Courtesy Photo­Image Philip Moreno

Courtesy Photo­Image Tracy Neal Black

Courtesy Photo­Image Kenneth Lewis

Courtesy Photo­Image Tyler Lauer-Barnes

Philip Moreno, 46, of North Platte, pleaded not guilty Monday in Lincoln County District Court to cruelty to animals after a wounded, bleeding Yorkshire dog that allegedly belonged to him had to be euthanized.

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Defense attorney Shirley Mora-James of Lincoln moved for discovery so more information could be gathered, and asked for a jury trial date.

Lincoln County District Judge Donald Rowlands set Jan. 15 as a trial date.

According to investigators, the dog apparently left its home during the night Aug. 2 and a North Platte resident, Kaycee Anderson, found it around 5:30 a.m. while she was on a morning walk with her dog. Anderson said the Yorkshire was crudely bandaged, bleeding and whimpering in the middle of the street.

“He was wobbly and shaky,” she said. “I sat down on the curb and called him because I thought he might run off if I approached him. He walked toward me but was so weak he fell down on the way.”

Anderson carried the dog to her house. She said he smelled awful. She called a friend who is a member of Pawsitive Partners, who took the Yorkie to a veterinarian. Anderson said she watched later that morning as the veterinarian cut duct tape bandages off the dog’s leg and torso and found two wounds full of maggots. The dog was euthanized. Police and animal shelter officials were called and after investigating, Moreno was arrested. He has posted 10 percent of a $15,000 bond.

Bank robbery

Accused bank robber Tracy Neal Black, 50, of Evanston, Wyo. remains in jail while prosecutors continue to interview law officers involved in his arrest.

Black is accused of driving a getaway vehicle Aug. 13 in the failed robbery attempt at the Farmers State Bank in Wallace. He allegedly waited outside in his pickup while accomplice Drew Steier went inside with a handgun. Tellers told Steier the money was locked up and they couldn’t get to it. Empty-handed, the two men drove out of Wallace on a county road and were picked up about an hour later near Imperial, about 50 miles west of Wallace.

At a status hearing in district court Monday, Lincoln County Attorney Rebecca Harling said she is waiting for depositions from three law enforcement officers on the case and her office would forward those to defense attorney Robert Lindemeier.

Black’s bond remains at $125,000 and he will be back in court Dec. 17.

Chicago man

Defense attorney Amanda Speichert moved to abate the plea of her client Kenneth Lewis of Chicago, who is charged with ID theft, fraud, criminal impersonation and possession of a forged object.

A plea abatement is filed if the defendant or their attorney objects to how or why the case was bound over from county court.

Lewis, 30, accompanied by two women from Chicago, was stopped for speeding on I-80 at 87 miles-per-hour Sept. 21 by Nebraska State Trooper Ryan Hayes.

A state patrol drug dog indicated drugs in the car, which brought about a search of the vehicle. Two small safes were found. Once opened, the safes contained dozens of stolen credit cards, fake IDs and a bundle of cash, Hayes said.

Hayes testified at a contested preliminary hearing Sept. 5 in Lincoln County Count, where Judge Kent Turnbull ruled that the evidence of a felony was sufficient to bind the case over to district court.

But Speichert told Rowlands that Lewis’ case should never been sent to district court because the County Attorney’s Office failed to prove that Lewis used stolen credit cards or IDs to make any purchases or obtain money.

Lincoln County Attorney Rebecca Harling did not engage an argument, but simply submitted the state’s case to Rowlands. Rowlands took the motion for plea abatement under advisement and said he would make a decision before Thanksgiving. He told Lewis if he decides to accept the motion, charges would be dismissed and he would be released. If not, the court case will proceed.

Joy ride

Facing charges of theft by deception and unauthorized use of a motor vehicle, Tyler Lauer-Barnes, 20, of North Platte was scheduled to appear before a jury in early January. Barnes has pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Barnes allegedly took a car for a demo ride from a North Platte auto dealer and the car ended up badly damaged. Investigators said that Barnes took tt for a joy ride and never intended to buy the vehicle.

He was arrested Oct. 2 and remains in the county jail on a $5,000 bond.

Defense attorney Blaine Gillett asked for a jury trial and Rowlands set a date of Jan. 8.