Eddy County Sheriff's Report

New Rockford resident Joseph M. Lawrence has been sentenced and fined for attacking a man during a Valentine’s Day weekend bar fight.

At the scene, evidence was gathered from eyewitnesses, a video of the altercation, and investigation by Eddy County Deputy Bennett Sauve on February 13 - such as blood on Lawrence’s right hand “consistent with him being the assailant in the bar attack.”

Lawrence was originally charged with aggravated assault, a Class C felony, but in a plea agreement on May 5, he pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of simple assault, a Class B misdemeanor.

Judge James D. Hovey sentenced Lawrence to 30 days in the Lake Region Correctional Center, with 20 days suspended and credit for one day served.

According to the criminal judgment, “Defendant shall make arrangements to serve the remaining 9 days via Electronic Home Monitoring within 30 days of the entry of judgment (June 4, 2022).”

Lawrence was also assessed $550 in various fees and fines and will be under unsupervised probation until April 30, 2023.

Meanwhile, Shannon Rae Kenner, a resident of Devils Lake, faces up to 11 years imprisonment after allegedly stealing a pickup truck in Eddy County.

The complaint filed against her alleges, “That said offense was committed when the defendant did knowingly take a 2016 Ford F-150 with intent to deprive the owner with a value exceeding $10,000.00 in value, but not exceeding $50,000.00 in value.”

Kenner was charged with “theft of property,” a Class B felony, as well as “driving while license privilege is suspended (4th offense),” a Class A misdemeanor.

Kenner is considered innocent unless proven guilty.

New Rockford resident Anthony O’Connor is facing charges of “unlawful taking of big game animal,” a class A misdemeanor, and “aiding in taking big game,” a Class B misdemeanor.

The charging document against O’Connor alleges “the defendant possessed big game, namely a deer he did not kill, and placed his own deer tag on it, knowing said tag was not transferable.”

The charging document adds, “The defendant accepted the deer without a tag, processed it by removing the skull and flesh, and in furtherance of his knowledge that the deer was illegally taken, placed his own deer tag on the deer’s antlers to assist Shawn Marsaa and Minor John Doe in concealing their unlawfully taken deer, keeping it at his residence where the two individuals did not reside.”

If found guilty on both counts, O’Connor faces a maximum penalty of 390 days imprisonment, up to $4,500 in fines, or both.

O’Connor has pleaded not guilty to both charges, and is considered innocent unless proven guilty.

New Rockford resident, Michael Songer pleaded guilty to possession of a controlled substance, marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia, both infractions. On May 12, Songer was assessed $300 in fines.

Christopher Songer, meanwhile, has pleaded not guilty to a charge of possession of marijuana, at least 1/2 oz. but less than 500 grams, a Class B misdemeanor.

If found guilty, Christopher Songer faces a maximum penalty of 30 days imprisonment, a fine of $1,500, or both. Songer is considered innocent unless proven guilty.