Several defendants charged with felonies appeared in District Court in Lincoln and Pottawatomie Counties recently and will be back in court in either September or October.
Two people who face more than 80 charges for cockfighting appeared in Lincoln County District Court last week before Special Judge Emily Mueller.
Justin James McHone, 38, and Tara Kay Gentry, 42, from the Harrah area are each charged with instigating/encouraging cockfight; keeping place/equipment/facility for cockfighting; and 86 counts of owning/possessing/keeping/ train bird for fighting.
They are both set for pre-preliminary hearings at 1:30 p.m. on Oct. 1, court records show.
McHone was scheduled to be in court July 2 but failed to show and a bench warrant was issued for his arrest. Records show the warrant was recalled.
Becky Dawn Hutchinson of Agra faces a felony count of Cruelty to Animals. According to court records, a pre-preliminary hearing is now scheduled for her at 1:30 p.m. on Sept. 3.
She was formally charged in Lincoln County District Court in January. She appeared a week ago before Judge Mueller.
A former Wellston educator was charged in Lincoln County District Court in February with two felonies. Robert Doyle Blankenship faces one count each of sexual battery and blackmail.
His pre-preliminary hearing has now been scheduled now for 10 a.m. on Oct. 2. He also appeared last week before Judge Mueller.
Michael Lee Steward, a longtime Shawnee veterinarian who resides in Lincoln County, was charged in late December in Pottawatomie County District Court with six felonies and a misdemeanor.
Steward originally was charged with one count of lewd or indecent acts to a child under 16, five sexual battery counts and one misdemeanor battery charge. The charge of lewd or indecent acts to a child under 16 was dismissed June 2, court records show, and Count 6, which alleged sexual battery, was amended to conform with the evidence, records show.
Pottawatomie County Court Clerk Valerie Ueltzen last week confirmed Steward waived preliminary hearing. District Judge John Canavan has set arraignment for Steward on Sept. 9.