Cape man pleads not guilty to office vandalism

A local man on Monday entered a plea of not guilty to causing hundreds of thousands of dollars in damage to a Cape Girardeau office building in June, but his lawyer on Tuesday said that's just a matter of procedure until the matter gets resolved.

Travis Fornkohl, 32, of Cape Girardeau was in court for a formal arraignment, which he waived through his lawyer, Malcolm Montgomery, before entering the not-guilty plea before Judge Benjamin Lewis in Jackson.

But Montgomery reiterated Tuesday that the case is not a question of whether his client actually opened a 6-inch water main after entering Auburn Park Place office building at 3605 William St. Police say that Fornkohl is seen in a surveillance video from the Drug Enforcement Administration office on the building's fifth floor.

The release of the water set off fire alarms, which drew authorities. A confidential informant led authorities to Fornkohl, who allegedly confessed to police later.

While a case review has been set for Oct. 9 on burglary and property damage charges, Montgomery spoke as if it may not come to that. He intends to meet with Cape Girardeau County Prosecuting Attorney Morley Swingle to discuss the case before then.

"It really depends on me meeting with Mr. Swingle and seeing what we can get done regarding a plea agreement," Montgomery said.

Montgomery has only said that his client "has some issues that are creating great difficulties." Fornkohl's parents are asking to take over as their son's guardian and an adjudication hearing in that matter is set for 1:15 p.m. today at the Common Pleas Courthouse in Cape Girardeau in front of Judge Scott Lipke.

Fornkohl has been free on $20,000 bond since July 27.

soyers@semissourian.com

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Pertinent address:

3065 William St., Cape Girardeau, MO