A McLoud man facing state felony charges after he already had admitted a federal firearms count and was sentenced, has been scheduled to stand trial.
Christopher Steven Ledbetter originally was charged in Lincoln County District Court on Sep. 14 with five felonies. They included planning, attempt/conspire to perform an act of violence; two counts of possessing a firearm during commission of a felony; endangering others while eluding and attempting to elude a police officer; and feloniously pointing a firearm.
Two of those counts have been dropped during the course of his preliminary hearing in which he was bound over.
He will stand trial on three felonies, court records show, including endangering others while eluding/attempting police, possessing firearm during commission of a felony and feloniously pointing a firearm.
During his arraignment on March 29 before District Judge Cindy Ashwood, Ledbetter entered a not guilty plea. The judge set the matter for the felony disposition docket at 9:30 a.m. on May 10 and scheduled a jury trial for 9 a.m. June 6.
His preliminary hearing was started on Dec. 16 before Special Judge Emily Mueller.
The judge continued the balance of that hearing until Jan. 27 and he was bound over to stand trial.
According to the records, a discovery issued was raised on Dec. 16.
The possession of firearm during the commission of a felony count accuses him on May 19, 2020 of possessing an AR-15 assault rifle while committing the felony of endangering others while eluding and attempting to elude McLoud Police Officer William Hicks as Hicks pursued him.
The endangering others while eluding and attempting to elude reportedly occurred May 19, 2020, as he ignored Hicks’ efforts to stop him by accelerating his speed and running stop signs and in doing so endangering others.
In the third other felony, Ledbetter is charged with pointing the AR-15 assault rifle at Hicks without lawful cause with the intention of shooting the firearm at Hicks.
Even though Ledbetter was sentenced to 57 months in a federal prison on the federal count, he reportedly is in the Lincoln County Jail as the state charges proceed through the court system.
In sentencing Ledbetter in the federal case, U.S. District Judge Charles B. Goodwin noted the nature and circumstances of Ledbetter’s conduct leading to his arrest, including reckless endangerment and the attempted evasion of McLoud police.