A Sparks man charged with four felonies and two misdemeanors has been ordered to stand trial and set for the felony disposition docket.
Formal felony charges were filed May 4, 2022 in Lincoln County District Court against James Leonard Smothers, 41 following his arrest by Lincoln County deputies.
During his arraignment on April 4 before Special Judge Emily Mueller, he entered not guilty pleas to the charges. Judge Mueller set him for the disposition docket at 9:30 a.m. May 2 and scheduled his jury trial for 9 a.m. June 5.
At his preliminary hearing March 17 before Judge Mueller, he was bound over to stand trial.
In count 1, Smothers is charged with possession of firearm after former felony conviction of two or more felonies. On April 22 of this year, in Sparks in Lincoln County, he allegedly had in his possession and control a 9mm semi-automatic pistol with a magazine containing eight rounds located in a crate after he had been convicted on Dec. 27, 2017 in Pottawatomie County District Court of possession of a stolen vehicle; knowingly concealing stolen property; and affixing improper license plate.
Count 2 accuses Smothers of second degree burglary on the same date by breaking and entering into a building located at 349443 E. 1010 Road in Sparks. The information states the building was owned by Roger Baker which had property of value contained in it and was broken into with the intent to commit larceny.
In Count 3, Smothers is charged with grand larceny after former conviction of two or more felonies by taking and carrying away a storage building that belonged to Baker without his consent and with the intent to deprive Baker of a storage building permanently.
Count 4 against Smothers is injuring pipes or wires after former conviction of two or more felonies by cutting into the face plate to the box of an electric pole to attempt to connect into the power wires.
One misdemeanor count is trespassing without permission by trespassing on property at 349443 E. 1010 Road without the permission of the owner.