Serving proudly since 1873 as the beautiful Nebraska Panhandle's first newspaper
Serving proudly since 1873 as the beautiful Nebraska Panhandle's first newspaper
Tuesday's caseload in Cheyenne County District Court included several high-profile cases. Here's a recap ...
Robert Thurow Jr. is escorted back to the Cheyenne County jail by Deputy Sheriff E.S. Falcon III on Tuesday morning at the courthouse.
A 49-year-old Sidney man was arraigned on a single count of sexual assault of a child in the third degree on Tuesday in Cheyenne County District Court.
An arrest warrant for Robert Thurow Jr. was filed on April 29, after which he was taken into custody.
If convicted, the IIIA felony charge carries a maximum of five years imprisonment and a possible $10,000 fine. There is no minimum prison sentence.
District Court Judge Derek Weimer said given the nature of the alleged offense, a conviction would also require registry on the sex offenders' list.
Thurow, who is currently in custody in lieu of a $100,000 bond, was represented by court-appointed defense lawyer Steven Elmshaeuser throughout recent proceedings in Cheyenne County Court related to the case. Weimer continued Elmshaeuser's appointment in District Court this week.
During the brief hearing on Tuesday, Thurow entered a not guilty plea.
The arrest of Thurow followed an investigation that began nearly a year ago.
According to a probable cause affidavit, health care workers found possible evidence of sexual assault during a medical exam of a young girl in June 2014 and called law enforcement. During an interview, the girl told an investigator Thurow "touches me down there lots," according to police.
Thurow denied the charge in an interview with police last summer and offered to take a polygraph test, the probable cause affidavit states.
Thurow had a previous run in with Cheyenne County law enforcement in 2008 when he was arrested after 100 marijuana plants and $17,000 in cash were found at his residence near Sidney.
The case was transferred to the U.S. Attorney's Office for prosecution, and Thurow pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute marijuana and user in possession of firearms, according to court documents from that case.
Thurow was sentenced to five years in a federal prison. According to the Federal Bureau of Prisons, he was released on May 3, 2013.
A status hearing was set for Wednesday, July 1 at 10 a.m. at the courthouse.
Reader Comments(1)
guest01 writes:
1. Did he take a polygraph test? If so, what was the result? 2. How many pounds did the 100 plants equal?
06/11/2015, 7:35 am