A Sparks man facing four felonies and a couple of misdemeanors has pleaded no contest to four of the counts and his sentencing has been scheduled.
Formal felony charges were filed May 4, 2022, in Lincoln County District Court against James Leonard Smothers, then 41, following his arrest by Lincoln County deputies.
District Judge John Canavan, during a felony disposition docket April 16 this year, ordered Smothers to reappear at 9 a.m. on April 30, saying the continuance was for one final time.
He was originally scheduled for trial in February of this year. Smothers opted for a bench trial that was set for Nov. 21 and on that date took a blind plea Appearing before District Judge Sarah Bridge, Smothers, as the result of a plea agreement entered a no contest plea to four of the counts. The state dismissed two of the felonies.
Both the state and defendant agreed to waive prohibition against probation. The judge received the plea and ordered a pre-sentence investigation.
She has set sentencing for 1:30 p.m., Jan. 7, 2025.
Assistant District Attorneys Rachel Thompson and Kelly Trimble prosecuted the case for the state and Smothers was represented by attorney Richard Anderson.
At his preliminary hearing on March 17, 2023, before Special Judge Emily Mueller, he was bound over to stand trial.
Supplemental information filed by prosecutors for after former conviction of two or more felonies shows that Smothers was convicted on July 15, 2020, in Oklahoma County District Court of the misdemeanor offense of third degree forgery.
It also shows Smothers was convicted on June 17, 2015, in Pottawatomie County of unauthorized use of a vehicle.