A Wellston man has pleaded guilty in Lincoln County District Court to felony and misdemeanor charges and drawn a 10year suspended prison term.
A formal felony charge of domestic abuse by strangulation or attempted strangulation was filed in Lincoln County District Court on Oct. 28 against Jacob Andrew Watham, 26. He was arrested by Lincoln County deputies.
Watham was also charged with a misdemeanor, domestic abuse in the presence of a minor child.
Watham has previously been convicted of three felonies.
Recently, he appeared before District Judge Cindy Ashwood for his arraignment. As the result of a plea bargain agreement and the state’s recommendation, he entered guilty pleas to the charges.
Watham and the state waived a pre-sentence investigation. The judge found guilty as charged and on the felony count handed him a 10-year suspended sentence. She also assessed him a $100 fine, $100 VCA and court costs.
On the misdemeanor charge, he drew a one year suspended sentence in the Lincoln County Jail. The judge assessed him a $100 fine, $100 VCA and court costs. The sentences are to run concurrent with each other.
Judge Ashwood ordered Watham to complete a mental health assessment and complete all recommended followup treatment, perform 40 hours of Community Service within six months of release from custody and to complete a batterer’s course.
A review on the batterer’s course is set for April 18, 2023. Watham was placed on supervised probation with Oklahoma Court Services. He was to report within five days of his release to the Probation Office and Court Clerk’s Office.
Count 1 accused Watham on Oct. 26 this year at a residence on East Highway U.S. 62 in Lincoln County of strangling or attempting to strangle Samantha Rodgers, his intimate partner.
In Count 2, he was charged on the same date and place with striking Samantha Rodgers about the head, face and body with his hands and fists while in the presence of a child of Samantha Rodgers.
Supplemental information filed by prosecutors shows that on Oct. 6, 2017 in Logan County District Court Watham was convicted of grand larceny, a felony.
On Jan. 19, 2018, in Pottawatomie County District Court Watham was convicted of Count 1, domestic assault and battery in the presence of a minor, a misdemeanor, Count 2, domestic assault and battery by strangulation, a misdemeanor and Count 3, bringing contraband (drugs) into a jail, a felony.
On Aug. 20, 2020, in Oklahoma County District Court, Watham was convicted of third degree burglary, a felony.
In the case filed Oct. 28 against Watham, Lincoln County Deputy Cody Coleman, in a probable cause affidavit, stated he was dispatched to a domestic around 11 p.m. on Oct. 26 at a residence on East Highway U.S. 62 in Meeker.
Coleman said he met with Samantha Rodgers near the residence and she described what had taken place during a domestic with her boyfriend, Watham, that he shoved her and punched her in the face while she was holding their 10-monthold son.
Coleman noted in the affidavit that Lincoln County Patrol Sgt. Larry Stover, Jr., responded to the residence where the initial call had occurred and he made contact with Watham while Coleman spoke with Rodgers.
Coleman advised Stover there was enough to place Watham under arrest for the domestic and Stover detained Watham until Coleman arrived. Coleman reported he placed Watham under arrest and transported him to the Lincoln County Jail in Chandler.