Tama Co. Court News

Tama County District Court

Dustin Jerome Jefferson, 39, Toledo, filed a motion for continuance on Jan. 7, of a trial set for March 23 in Tama County Distrcit Court in Toledo. Jefferson faces five counts of 3rd degree sexual abuse in that trial. He was charged with allegedly having sexual relations with a 12-year-old female at various times between May and July, 2013. Those charges were filed by Meskwaki Nation Tribal Police. He has been held in the Tama County Jail on the 3rd degree sexual abuse charges since Oct. 13, 2013. Jefferson also faces trial for 1st degree murder in the death of his wife Kerry O’Clair Jefferson, 32, who was found dead in a Tama residence on Sept. 25, 2013, by Tama Police. He is being held in jail on $1 million bond on that charge. A trial underway in December was halted when a jury issue arose over the lack of Native Americans in the jury pool. Jefferson is a Native American. Dustin Jefferson’s mother, Ginger Jefferson, was convicted of 1st degree murder in the death of her daughter-in-law and was sentenced to life in prison on July 14, 2014.

Before Judge Mitchell E. Turner in Tama County District Court in Toledo:

Christopher Lee Vanhorn, 22, Cedar Rapids, entered a written plea of guilty to charges of possession of prescription drug without a prescription and possession of marijuana. He was granted deferred judgments and placed on unsupervised probation. He was directed to pay civil penalties totaling $315 on each charge. Vanhorn was orginally charged on Nov. 26, 2013, by Meskwaki Nation Tribal Police. Rowwena Durnin, Tama, entered guilty pleas to five counts of 3rd degree theft. She received a suspended prison term and was placed on supervised probation. Durnin was directed to pay restitution totaling $1,184 to Jiffy South Convenience Store, Tama. Tama Police originally charged Durnin on Aug. 21, 2014, for allegedly writing bad checks to the store. Tama County Magistrate Court

Before Magistrate Ann Kuhter:

Guilty pleas, fines and court costs, agency filing charge(s)-

Louie Fred Walton, 75, Tama, operation without registration card or plate $ $128 Seth Arthur York, 32, disorderly conduct – fighting or violent behavior $148

Clerk of Court – Mdison, Rose McGraw, 19, Walker, Iowa, operating without registration $128. Austyn William Phinney, rural Toledo, 19, operating without registration $128 Nellie Morehead, 78, Toledo, fail to obey stop sign and yield right of way $195 Linyang Wang, 22, Evanston, Ill. failure to maintain control of vehicle $19 Britni Leigh Hernandez, 24, rural Tama, fail to obey stop / yield sign $263 Dale Willard Speckner, 87, Toledo, entering through highways $195

Tama County Small Claims

H&R Accounts Moline, Ill. vs. Martiniano Gallardo Jr., Toledo $857

Belle Plaine Nursery, Belle Plaine vs. Marcos Noe Galvez, Tama $1,354

Midland Funding LLC, Des Moines Vs. Jennifer E. Karns, no address in court record $1,438

Midland Funding LLC, Des Moines vs. George Todd Powers, Duluth, Minn. $3,436