The Christian County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office announced today that GREGORY WATSON, dob: 08/19/1988 of Springfield, Missouri plead guilty Friday without a plea agreement to the class B felony of burglary in the first degree in front of Christian County Circuit Judge Mark Orr. GREGORY WATSON was set to begin a jury trial on August 1, 2011 for the offense.

During the evening hours of December 14, 2010, GREGORY WATSON entered a residence in Nixa, Missouri. The homeowner awoke to his dog barking and found GREGORY WATSON standing in his laundry room. GREGORY WATSON then pulled what appeared to be a handgun and fled through the garage. The homeowner got his service weapon from his residence and chased after GREGORY WATSON. A vehicle was observed driving away from the residence at a high rate of speed. A purse, replica pistol and video games were stolen from the residence. GREGORY WATSON was caught on ATM camera attempting to use the homeowners ATM card at a Great Southern Bank in Springfield.

Formal sentencing is set for September 2, 2011. As there was no plea agreement with the Christian County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, GREGORY WATSON faces the entire range of punishment of five (5) to fifteen (15) years in the Missouri Department of Corrections.

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The Christian County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office announced today that PATRICIA BERTRAND, dob: 9/4/1968 of Ozark, Missouri plead guilty without a plea agreement to the class B felony of producing a controlled substance in front of Christian County Circuit Judge Mark Orr.

On May 20, 2010, members of the Ozark Police Department and the COMET drug task force served a search warrant at 1310 3rd Street in Ozark. This was the location of Ozark Mountain Playground, a business owned by PATRICIA BERTRAND and her husband. During a search of the business, law enforcement located forty seven (47) mature marijuana plants inside a marijuana grow room that was equipped with grow lights, fans, a water source, an air purification system, and electronic timers. Elsewhere in the business, law enforcement located several containers of marijuana, digital scales, a vacuum sealing machine and various other drug paraphernalia. The marijuana that was seized was sent to the Missouri Highway Patrol Crime lab where it was weighed and tested. Total weight from the seizure was in excess of one thousand (1,000) grams of marijuana.

Formal sentencing is set for September 16, 2011. As there was no plea agreement with the Christian County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, PATRICIA BERTRAND faces the entire range of punishment of five (5) to fifteen (15) years in the Missouri Department of Corrections.

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Christian County Prosecuting Attorney, Amy J. Fite announced today that TIMOTHY R. LAWRENCE JR., dob: 09/03/1985 of Ozark, Missouri plead guilty to the class B felony of possession of controlled substance with intent to distribute and possession of a firearm after a felony conviction. The defendant entered his plea in front of Christian County Circuit Judge Mark Orr.

On March 19, 2010, multiple law enforcement agencies including the COMET drug task force, Ozark Police Department, and Nixa Police Department served a search warrant on the home of LAWRENCE. During the search, officer recovered several bags of methamphetamine, a bag of marijuana and a variety of pills. A 9mm pistol was found in a bedroom in the home. LAWRENCE admitted to law enforcement officer that he was intending to sell the drug and had sold before. LAWRENCE had previously been convicted of possession of controlled substance and felony resisting arrest.

LAWRENCE was sentence to twelve years in the Missouri Department of Corrections for possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute the drug and 7 years in the Missouri Department of Corrections for illegal possession of the pistol. The sentences are to run concurrently with each other.

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Christian County Prosecuting Attorney, Amy J. Fite announced today that 44th Judicial Circuit Judge John Moody set aside his Findings of Fact, Conclusions of Law, and Order granting a new trial in the 2009 murder conviction of PAULA HALL, dob 7/6/1967 of Sparta, Missouri.

On June 29, 2011 Judge Moody vacated his judgment of June 9, 2011 after having heard evidence presented by Christian County Prosecuting Attorney, Amy J. Fite. The judge originally found that in 2009 the Christian County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office committed a discovery violation by failing to notify defense counsel of evidence that a witness had a pending probation violation.

In asking the Court to reconsider his finding that a discovery violation occurred, Christian County Prosecuting Attorney, Amy J. Fite presented the Court with the testimony of Christian County Circuit Clerk Barbara Stillings, Captain Bryan Gillman from the Christian County Jail, Greg Fahrlander of Probation and Parole, and Cindy Bates also of Probation and Parole. The evidence presented showed there was no pending probation violation at the time the witness testified. Additional evidence presented also showed that a violation report did not exist and the alleged discovery violation was likely the result of a simple scrivener’s error in the Court record.

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The Christian County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office will be hosting an open house today celebrate the retirement of our victim advocate and esteemed colleague Susan Asher. Please stop by from 2:30pm to 4:30pm to show your appreciation for the hard work and dedication Susan has given the citizens of Christian County over the past fourteen (14) years.

The Christian County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office is located on the first floor of the Christian County Justice Center at 110 W. Elm Street in Ozark, Missouri.