Court briefs
Trial postponed The trial for a man who claims he was criminally insane when he allegedly attacked his father last Jan. 7 was postponed on Monday by Fayette County Judge John F. Wagner Jr.
After Wagner continued Gregory S. Kontaxes’ trial until July, Kontaxes asked the jurist to send him back to the state’s mental hospital to await that trial.
“I should probably be sent back to Mayview (State Psychiatric Hospital) for that time,” said Kontaxes, 46, of Star Junction.
“I tend to agree with you, but when we send you there, they send you right back and say they don’t need you,” said Wagner.
Kontaxes is charged with aggravated and simple assault as well as harassment for allegedly hitting his then-78-year-old father, Steven Kontaxes, in the head with a .22-caliber rifle during a reported fight.
Steven Kontaxes was reportedly trying to call state police at the time of the alleged assault.
According to state police, Gregory Kontaxes was intoxicated when he allegedly hit his father.
As Wagner questioned Kontaxes about the proposed continuance, Kontaxes told the jurist he was on medication for depression and schizophrenia.
Kontaxes also asked Wagner to lower his $10,000 straight cash bond, and told the jurist it was improperly raised.
“Technically, I didn’t violate my bond. They were off the wall in raising it like that,” said Kontaxes.
Wagner referred Kontaxes to President Judge William J. Franks, who raised the bond last year, noting that Franks would have to determine if it should be lowered.
No contest plea
Randall Leech, 37, of Point Marion pleaded no contest to corruption of minors and will leave his sentence up to Fayette County Judge John F. Wagner Jr.
Under the terms of the general plea, prosecutors dismissed charges of involuntary deviate sexual intercourse and indecent assault.
Leech was charged with molesting a 7-year-old Uniontown boy between September 1998 and May 2001. The abuse came to light when the child told his grandmother, according to Point Marion police, who indicated that the abuse happened at Leech’s 11 Main St. home.
Wagner will sentence Leech at a later date.
Sentenced issued
Agustin Chable Moheno was sentenced to spend the next four to eight years in a state prison for selling nearly a kilo of cocaine to an undercover member of the Fayette County Drug Task Force.
With the help of a Spanish-speaking translator, Moheno, of North Carolina, communicated that he understood his rights.
The 26-year-old, who is of Mexican descent, was arrested Jan. 13, 2001 after he exchanged 990 grams of cocaine for $28,000 in marked bills. After the exchange, which took place in the parking lot of the Route 40 Holiday Inn in South Union Township, police arrested Moheno.
Although District Attorney Nancy D. Vernon indicated that Moheno spoke English during the exchange, at his plea last week, Moheno required a translator.
Plea deal rejected
A Connellsville man officially rejected a plea offer of two and a half to five years in prison for pleas to assault-related charges that stemmed from a stabbing.
Fredrick A. Sherwood, 26, allegedly stabbed Alisha Basinger during an Oct. 25, 2001 altercation at a North Eighth Street home in the city.
Police allege he also tried to stab Stephanie Ritenour during the fight. He will now head to charges on two counts each of aggravated and simple assault and recklessly endangering another person.
Attempted homicide charges initially filed by police were withdrawn at Sherwood’s preliminary hearing.