BROKEN BOW—A woman who previously faced a possible 20 years imprisonment was sentenced on Thursday morning in Custer County’s District Court. Holli J. Erstrom, 51, of Callaway has appeared in District Court over the last year for theft taking place in November of 2017 from the Callaway branch of Country Partners Cooperative.
Erstrom pled not guilty to the class IIA felony in June 2018, but in mid-October had taken a plea deal with the state which reduced the IIA felony to criminal attempt, a class IIIA felony.
On Thursday’s sentencing, the State, represented by Steve Bowers, asked that Erstrom be sentenced to probation as she was to pay the restitution back in full. Erstrom’s attorney, Thomas S. Stewart, also agreed to probation and told the court that Erstrom has no other criminal history and with regards to the theft, he said she had been “loaning to herself and got out of control.” He also said Erstrom was “remorseful and embarrassed.”
Judge Karin Noakes sentenced Erstrom to three years of probation and also ordered the restitution to be paid in full on Thursday in the amount of $17,645.27.
Jury trials were scheduled for Cynthia D. Lowry, 38 of Sargent, Ishok D. Lords, 41 of Mason City, and Daryl Brewer, 36 of Callaway, to take place at future trial dates. Joshua M. Oels, 38 of Broken Bow, did not appear for arraignment and a motion for continuance was sustained and he is scheduled to appear in court on February 21.
A bench warrant was issued for Charles D. Swisher, Jr., 53 of St. Libory, NE, who is currently in the Buffalo County Jail.
The case of Mason City man Bruce L. Hahn, 63, was scheduled for a June jury trial with progression conference scheduled for February 21.
