The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office recovered a semi trailer that was reported stolen out of Sarpy County, NE on Tuesday. Nebraska Officials contacted Montgomery County Officials on Tuesday in regards to a stolen semi trailer that was owned by Smart Freight Funding LLC of Omaha that may be in the area.

Montgomery County Sheriff’s Officials located the trailer in the 1900 block of G Avenue, West of Red Oak at approximately 8:45pm. After recovering the trailer Deputies arrested 50-year-old Douglas E. Klimek of Red Oak for Possession of Stolen Property/Theft 1st Degree. Klimek was taken to the Montgomery County Jail and held on $10,000 cash bond.

A Nebraska man was sentenced Tuesday in Council Bluffs District Court, for Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine. 38-year old William Labenz, of Omaha, was sentenced to five years in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release. In late 2017, the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement with the Federal Bureau of Investigation Safe Streets Task Force investigated a large drug trafficking organization responsible for transporting large quantities of methamphetamine to and around the western Iowa and eastern Nebraska areas.

On March 4, 2018, law enforcement conducted a traffic stop and the driver, William Labenz, was arrested for driving under suspension. Inside the vehicle’s trunk one quarter pound of methamphetamine was located. On April 26, 2018, in a search of Labenz’s home, additional methamphetamine, scales and baggies were found. The investigation revealed Labentz was transporting methamphetamine for the drug trafficking organization.

The case was investigated by Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Safe Streets Task Force, Omaha Police Department, Southwest Iowa Narcotics Task Force, Council Bluffs Police Department, and the Shelby County Sheriff’s Department. The case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.

Officials with the U-S Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa said today (Wednesday), that a Pottawattamie County man was sentenced Tuesday to prison, for being a prohibited person in possession of a firearm. 31-year old Luke Harrison Bird, II, was sentenced to a prison term of 90 months to be followed by a term of supervised release of three years. The sentence will run consecutively to Bird’s state prison sentence for a parole violation.

Bird was released from the Iowa State Penitentiary in January 2018 after serving state prison time for intimidation with a dangerous weapon, going armed with intent, felon in possession of a firearm, assault while participating in a felony, and eluding. On July 15, 2018, Iowa 4th Judicial District Probation Officers were conducting routine random home visits. The Probation Officer searched Bird’s room and located a loaded sawed off shotgun and ammunition.

The case was investigated by the Iowa 4th Judicial District Probation Office, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Council Bluffs Police Department and the Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s Office. The case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa. The case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. #

(Radio Iowa) — Officials says the company hired to shoot off fireworks in Oelwein this weekend will not be used again after an accident that injured several people during a town event. One of the events of the Oelwein Celebration weekend was a fireworks show at City Park on Sunday night. One of the missiles misfired and went into the audience. Several spectators received burns, but no serious injuries were reported. There was also some damage to participants’ clothing. It was noted that the accident happened because one of the tubes for the fireworks was not mounted correctly, shooting the missile into the crowd.According to city officials, the incident was caused by negligence on the part of the company that conducted the fireworks show. That company will not be used for future events in Oelwein.

Police in Glenwood report two arrests. On Tuesday, 50-year old John Hauger, of Glenwood, was arrested on a Pottawattamie County warrant.  He later posted a $1,000 cash-only bond. And, on Monday, 38-year old Donovan Hankins, of Tabor, was arrested in Glenwood for Driving Under Suspension. He posted a $300 bond and was released.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Authorities charged a man with animal neglect and other crimes after an animal rescue group removed around 100 cats from horrid conditions at his central Iowa property, where around 200 cat carcasses were found. Polk County court records say 65-year-old Dennis Carlson is charged with three counts of failure to dispose of a dead animal and five counts of animal neglect. The records don’t list the name of an attorney who could comment for him.

The Animal Rescue League of Iowa says in a news release that the cats and carcasses were discovered Tuesday in several buildings at the property, which sits a little more than a mile southeast of Madrid. Rescuers had to wear respirators and protective suits because of the garbage, cat feces, urine and carcasses inside the buildings. League CEO Tom Colvin says it’s by far the worst hoarding case the Iowa organization has seen in more than 10 years.

A Sheriff’s Deputy in Pottawattamie County arrested a Council Bluffs man Tuesday afternoon, at the Pott. County Courthouse. 21-year old Dillon Michael Palen was taken into custody on a valid State of Iowa warrant for Conspiracy to Commit a Non-forcible Felony. He was transported to the Pott. County Jail and held on a $5,000 bond.

There were also several prisoner transfers to the Pottawattamie County Jail from other correctional institutions, Tuesday, for persons who needed to address warrants in the County.

• 25-year old Andrew Allen Ross, of Council Bluffs, was wanted for Probation Violation.
• 20-year old Tyler Michael Markey, of Omaha, was wanted for Violation of Probation.
• 63-year old Dennis L. Morlan, was wanted on warrants for Absence from Custody and Forgery. His bond was set at $1,000 for the Absence charge, which was a 2nd offense.
• 55-year old Shawn Joseph Horton, was wanted on Pott. County warrants for OWI/3rd or subsequent offense – a felony; Violation of Probation and Willful Failure to Stop for Law Enforcement. He was being held on a total of $6,000 bond.
• And, 25-year old Dennis Eugene Combs, Jr., was transported to the Pott. County Jail to address a warrant for Forgery and Theft in the 5th degree.

More State and area news from KJAN News Director Ric Hanson.

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The CAM School District’s Board of Education will hold a Special, closed session 12:30-p.m. Thursday, in the Nodaway Valley High School Media Center. The purpose of the meeting is to conduct formal interviews with three finalists for the shared Superintendent’s job. When the Board returns to open session, they may take action on offering a contract for the position prior to adjournment. As previously mentioned, the candidate finalists include: IKM-Manning High School Principal Brian Wall; East Mills-Essex School District Shared Superintendent Paul Croghan; and Woodward-Granger Superintendent Brad Anderson. Whomever is selected will begin their duties on July 1st.

The Board will also meet 6:30-p.m. Thursday at the same location, to consider approval of contracts.