A woman from Nebraska was sentenced today (Monday) to a term of probation for her role in the 2014 thefts of cattle from two farms in Cass County. The Cass County Attorney’s office reports 42-year-old Amy Springer, of Omaha, pled guilty to the a felony charge of Theft in the 2nd degree. Because Springer had no previous record, she was given a deferred judgement and sentenced to two-year’s probation.Springer was released from the Cass County Jail late this (Monday) morning.

Springer, along with 57-year old Ervin J. Jacob, of Omaha, was charged in connection with the theft of cattle from Freund Brothers Farms near Lewis. The stolen cattle were unloaded to unsuspecting buyers at various Iowa and Nebraska sale barns.

Jacob faces charges that include Ongoing Criminal conduct and three counts of Theft in the 2nd Degree.  His Pre-trial conference is set for May 11th, with trial scheduled for May 27th.

A third person allegedly connected to the crime, 49-year old James Michael Brunzo, Jr., also of Omaha, was being held without bond in the Pottawattamie County Jail on charges of Theft in the 1st Degree and Burglary in the 3rd Degree.  Both men have entered pleas of Not Guilty to the charges.

SIBLEY, Iowa (AP) – Authorities say they’re searching for the person who dumped a bag of dead puppies near a northwestern Iowa bridge. The Osceola County Sheriff’s Office says the bag was located near a bridge north of Sibley, Iowa on Northwest Boulevard. The sheriff’s office received a report of the puppies April 6.

The Sioux City Journal reports that the puppies have been described as medium or large breed dogs. Officials say they were seemingly left near the bridge sometime in the winter. The case remains under investigation.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – The case of an Urbandale man accused of robbing a central Iowa bank at gunpoint has been sent to a federal grand jury.  The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa says 35-year-old Hussam Fayiz Abusharkh appeared in federal court Friday on a criminal complaint. He is accused of robbing the Farmers and Merchants State Bank in St. Charles on March 25, when Madison County deputies responded to reports of a man with a handgun ordering employees to fill a bag with money.

Abusharkh turned himself in to authorities Thursday on a state first-degree robbery charge. A judge ordered that Abusharkh remain detained pending the grand jury’s review of his case.

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) – Six people have been arrested after an investigation into sex trafficking in Sioux Falls. Attorney General Marty Jackley, Minnehaha County Sheriff Mike Milstead and Sioux Falls Police Chief Doug Barthel announced the arrests on Monday. Jackley says they resulted from a probe by the state Division of Criminal Investigation and the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force.

The suspects are from South Dakota, Iowa and Guatemala. They include 29-year-old Scott Robert Larson and 25-year-old Benjamin Lyle Iverson of Sioux Falls; 27-year-old Nathanuel Walter Downs of Sioux City; 29-year-old Lance Eugene Hunter of Little Rock, IA; 35-year-old Andrew Richard Krogman of Doon, IA; and 26-year-old Jose Joaquin Oxlaj of Guatemala.

They all face a felony charge of solicitation of a minor that carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison. One suspect also is accused of assault on a police officer and could face another 25 years if convicted.

The Atlantic City Council, Wednesday, will act on accepting the site plans for the Ash Street Single-Family Housing Development Project. Boose Building Construction, L.C. has proposed the nearly $1.26-million dollar project, which would be constructed between 1405 and 1503 Ash Street. The City’s Planning and Zoning Commission approved the site plan during their meeting last week.

Boose is requesting a grant from the City in the amount of $80,000 in Tax Increment Financing (TIF) to aid in making the project a reality. The first payment of $40,000 would be paid when public improvements (grading, street, water, sanitary and storm sewer) are installed. Construction of the first house is slated to begin this year, with two more houses next year, and three houses to follow. The second TIF payment of $40,000 would be paid when the third foundation is in place. Boose says the last two houses they completed in past two years sold before they were completed, which is indicative of the need for more, single family homes, according to the company.

In other business, the Atlantic City Council, Wednesday, will act on accepting the site plans for a 6,813-square foot addition to the Heritage House at 1200 Brookridge Circle. The plans were approved 5-1 during the P&Z Commission meeting, with the dissenting vote only having concerns dealing with storm water, but otherwise was strongly in support of the project. A representative of Wesley Life will be on-hand at the meeting to address any such concerns.

And, the Atlantic City Council will act on approving a Resolution approving the contract and bonds for the 2015 Street Improvement Project. Their meeting in the Council’s Chambers at City Hall, begins at 5:30-p.m., Wednesday.