GUILTY VERDICT: Assad convicted on all five charges

It took the jury in the Jason Assad trial less than three hours to reach a unanimous decision: guilty on all five charges.

Closing statements in the two-and-half day trial concluded Friday afternoon. Preparations had been made to sequester the jury of five women and seven men throughout the weekend until a decision was made, but that was unneeded.

Just before 6 p.m. on Friday, the defendant and his counsel – along with prosecutor Cheyenne County Attorney Paul Schaub – were called back to the Cheyenne County District Courtroom

With about a dozen onlookers, the jury submitted its verdict to Judge Derek Weimer.

Assad sat beside his lawyer, Steven Elmhaeuser, and looked straight ahead as the judge read the findings.

The jury found him guilty of possession of a deadly weapon by a prohibited person, first-degree false imprisonment, terroristic threatening, use of a weapon to commit a felony and possession of a firearm by a prohibited person.

The session took less than five minutes.

Assad was remanded into custody and his $1 million bond was revoked.

Weimer scheduled sentencing for Friday, May 29 at 8:30 a.m. in the district courthouse.

Earlier on Friday, Schaub rested the prosecution's case and Elmhaeuser presented Assad’s defense.

A full story will appear in Monday’s Sidney Sun-Telegraph.