The preliminary hearing for one of several defendants charged in an alleged chop shop operation has been continued until November.
Kenneth Gale Simon, 37, was charged May 26 in Lincoln County District Court of operating/dealing with a chop shop after former conviction of two or more felonies, conspiracy after former conviction of two or more felonies and knowingly receiving or concealing stolen property after conviction of two more felonies.
His preliminary hearing was scheduled for Sep. 22 but has been moved to Nov. 10. He and Whitney Kristine Harrison, 34, both of Prague, were arrested following a brief pursuit on July 28.
He faces an additional charge of attempting to elude officers. Harrison, originally charged with conspiracy and knowingly receiving or concealing stolen property, is now facing an additional count of harboring Simon.
Formal felony charges were originally filed May 26 in Lincoln County District Court against Kaleb Burleson, 19, Simon, 37, and Harrison, 34.
On the same day charges were filed, bench warrants of $10,000 each were issued for the arrest of Burleson and Harrison and a $15,000 bench warrant was issued for Simon.
Court records show the warrant for Burleson was returned and filed on June 1 and his initial appearance was scheduled for July 21.
Burleson is set for the disposition docket at 10 a.m. on Oct. 7.
The warrant for Harrison was returned and filed on June 23, court records show. Her $10,000 bond remains and her initial appearance was scheduled for Aug. 18.
Her reappearance on the original charges is set for Oct. 13.
Simon was still wanted on his warrant.
Simon appeared before Associate District Judge Sheila Kirk on Aug. 29. She ordered the $15,000 bond remain in effect and Simon made his initial appearance on Aug. 4.
Harrison is accused of harboring Simon when she in fact knew law enforcement officers were looking for Simon for the purpose of executing warrants. She also appeared before Judge Kirk on July 29, a $5,000 bond was set on the new charge and her initial appearance is scheduled for Sep. 29.
Burleson was charged in Lincoln County District Court with operating/ dealing with a chop shop, conspiracy and knowingly receiving or concealing property.
The conspiracy counts against the three accuse them between March 19 and April 8 of this year of conspiring and agreeing with one another and with Mick Vancuren, also of Prague, of conducting a chop shop and disassembling, dismantling, reassembling a motor vehicle known to be illegally obtained by theft in order to misrepresent the identity of the vehicle.
The information further states Vancuren, Simon and Burleson dismantled a Chevrolet truck stolen from KG Auto Sales in Shawnee at the property of Harrison.
Vancuren, 31, was charged in Lincoln County District Court on April 18 with four felonies in relation to the chop shop operation.