A $25,000 bench warrant has been issued one of two persons arrested and charged last September with child endangerment after he failed to appear for his court hearing.
Charged with felony child endangerment was Khalil Steele, 23, no address listed. He was also charged with felony possession of a Schedule IV CDS with the intent to distribute.
He failed to appear for his pre-preliminary hearing and Special Judge Emily Mueller issued the bench warrant.
Steele made his initial appearance on Sep. 29 before Judge Mueller.
The judge scheduled Steele’s pre-preliminary hearing for 1:30 p.m. Nov. 17 and also moved it until Dec. 15.
That hearing was then continued until Jan. 19, 2022, was subsequently moved to Feb. 3, and then to Feb. 10. It was later scheduled for March 16.
The other person charged in the case, Blake Michael Barrett, 21, of Seminole, was formally charged in Lincoln County District Court on Sep. 13, 2022 with two felonies and a misdemeanor.
Barrett is accused of child endangerment by driving under the influence and possession of a Schedule IV Controlled Dangerous Substance with the intent to distribute.
The misdemeanor is unlawful possession of marijuana.
On Dec. 15, Barrett waived his preliminary hearing. Special Judge Emily Mueller scheduled his arraignment for Feb. 21, this year.
During his arraignment on Feb. 21, Barrett pleaded not guilty to the charges.