Judge sentences some to prison, others to probation

Judge Benjamin Lewis doled out punishments across the gamut in Cape Girardeau County Circuit Court on Monday, placing most of those he sentenced on periods of probation but sending two to lengthy prison stints for more serious offenses.

Lewis presided over 10 sentencing hearings in Jackson on Monday in the cases of admitted forgers, thieves, drunken drivers and assaulting a police officer, among others. Three were no-shows, prompting Lewis to issue arrest warrants for Marcus E. Davis, Marcus Nails and Samantha R. Berryman.

Davis, of Murphysboro, Ill., is to be held on $100,000 cash-only bond when he again is brought into custody to face one count of felony forgery. Davis admitted to Lewis in November that he signed a bogus check for almost $24,000 to buy a car in Cape Girardeau.

Berryman, 21, of Cape Girardeau had a bond set at $10,000 after she didn't appear and is to be brought back in for sentencing on a forgery charge, as well.

Nails also is to be held on $10,000 until he is sentenced on domestic assault charges.

The 10 individuals didn't include the late entry of Ulises Santana of Kansas City, Mo., who pleaded guilty to one count of drug trafficking Monday and then was sentenced to five years of probation. Santana was 18 when he was one of two Missouri men arrested in December, after police found more than an ounce of crystal methamphetamine in the Cape Girardeau hotel in which he was staying. Co-defendant Jesus Aguirre still is going through the court process.

Some didn't receive probation, and instead have extended visits with the Missouri Department of Corrections in their future.

Lewis sentenced Dustin J. Wondrick, 24, to four years in prison on the drug possession charge to which he pleaded guilty Jan. 28.

Charlesmen Bobo of Cape Girardeau was sent to prison for seven years for assaulting a law enforcement officer, which was to run concurrently as another four-year sentence Lewis handed down for felony drug possession.

Others received five years probation, such as Blaze M. Stephens, who pleaded guilty to breaking into a Subway restaurant in Jackson in July. Others who received five years probation included Justin Seyer of Jackson for knowingly burning; Kevin Cotner on a single felony theft charge; and Saumil C. Patel and Tyrone Deberry for driving under the influence of alcohol.

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