After four months without a prosecutor, the Sitka DA’s office has been restaffed. Amanda Browning was appointed assistant district attorney at the end of July. Over the last two weeks, Browning has rolled out a backlog of grand jury indictments.
On August 10th, the grand jury indicted 22-year old Matthew Hartshorn on one count of Misconduct Involving a Controlled Substance in the 3rd Degree — a felony — and three misdemeanor counts involving drugs, criminal trespass, and theft.
According to court records, Hartshorn was apprehended by Sitka police on August 7 for allegedly shoplifting a pair of Levis from the Work and Rugged Gear Store. Hartshorn was on probation from a prior felony conviction. He was in possession of prescription narcotics which police believe he was distributing illegally.
The grand jury also indicted 59-year old Kerry MacLane on one count of felony Driving Under the Influence, for allegedly operating his sailboat while intoxicated. According to court records, police were called to assist emergency medical personnel who had been summoned to MacLane’s sailboat in Eliason Harbor on August 5. MacLane allegedly had rammed the dock while attempting to moor, damaging his boat, and the dock’s freshwater and electrical systems. MacLane admitted to having consumed alcohol earlier in the day, which was reportedly confirmed by a breathalyzer. The charge is an automatic felony since MacLane has two prior DUI’s in the last ten years.
Other grand jury indictments in August include Adam Fondell and Itzel Mora.
The 30-year old Fondell was indicted on 6 felony counts of Misconduct Involving a Controlled Substance in the second or third degree, and one count of Misconduct Involving a Weapon in the third degree.
In the indictment, the grand jury alleges that Fondell last December possessed with intent to deliver a variety of substances, including mushrooms, narcotics, testosterone, and marijuana. He was also found in possession of a prohibited weapon — a rifle with a barrel length less than 16 inches.
19-year old Itzel Mora was indicted on one felony count of Vehicle Theft in the First Degree, for allegedly stealing a 2003 Chevy pickup truck on June 2. The grand jury also alleges that she later left the scene of an accident after colliding with an unattended vehicle — a misdemeanor.
And finally, Franklin Moore is facing three misdemeanor counts for allegedly stealing a credit card and using it to buy alcohol.
According to the August 3rd indictment, the 50-year old Moore allegedly took his mother’s credit
card on July 14 and used it to buy a 750 milliliter bottle of Monarch Vodka from the House of Liquor, valued at just over $11 — and then returned the card.
Moore’s mother turned him into police.
