K2 Radio News: Flash Briefing For February 23rd, 2018 – Morning

A JURY ON WEDNESDAY FOUND CASPER BUSINESSMAN TONY CERCY NOT GUILTY ON TWO OF THREE SEXUAL ASSAULT CHARGES AT THE END OF A SEVEN-DAY TRIAL, AND A MISTRIAL WAS DECLARED ON THE THIRD.
CERCY WAS FOUND NOT GUILTY ON COUNT ONE OF FIRST DEGREE SEXUAL ASSAULT; NOT GUILTY ON COUNT TWO OF SECOND DEGREE SEXUAL ASSAULT; AND A MISTRIAL WAS DECLARED ON THE THIRD COUNT OF THIRD DEGREE SEXUAL ASSAULT.

A MISTRIAL, IN WHICH THE JURY DEADLOCKS, MEANS THE STATE CAN REFILE THE CASE IN 15 DAYS.

THIRD-DEGREE SEXUAL ASSAULT IS A FELONY PUNISHABLE BY IMPRISONMENT FOR NOT MORE THAN 15 YEARS.

DISTRICT ATTORNEY MIKE BLONIGEN DECLINED TO COMMENT AFTER THE VERDICT, SAYING THE CASE IS STILL PENDING.

CERCY DEFENSE ATTORNEYS PAMELA MACKEY AND JEFFREY PAGLIUCA ALSO DECLINED TO COMMENT.

CERCY HIMSELF LEFT THE BUILDING SURROUNDED BY FRIENDS AND MACKEY.

THE JURY DELIBERATED FOR A DAY AND A HALF BEFORE REACHING ITS VERDICT IN THE CASE THAT BEGAN WHEN LAW ENFORCEMENT RECEIVED A REPORT FROM THE ALLEGED VICTIM AND HER FAMILY ON WEDNESDAY, JUNE 28, ABOUT AN INCIDENT AT CERCY'S HOUSE AT ALCOVA LAKE THE PREVIOUS WEEKEND.

COURT RECORDS SAY THE ALLEGED VICTIM SAID SHE WENT PASSED OUT ON THE COUCH IN THE MIDDLE OF THE LIVING ROOM, WOKE UP AND SAW CERCY PERFORMING ORAL SEX.
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A CASPER COUPLE WAS ARRESTED WEDNESDAY NIGHT AFTER A POLICE OFFICER WAS CALLED FOR A DISPUTE BETWEEN NEIGHBORS, AND THE OFFICER FOUND A CHILD LIVING IN "COMPLETELY UNFIT" CONDITIONS.

45-YEAR-OLD JESSE CHRISTOPHER CARTER AND 42-YEAR-OLD MARY JO ANN LOEWENHAGEN WERE EACH BOOKED INTO JAIL ON A CHARGE OF ABANDONING OR ENDANGERING CHILDREN.

CARTER IS LISTED ON THE SEX OFFENDER REGISTRY. ACCORDING TO THE REGISTRY, HE WAS CONVICTED IN SEPTEMBER 2015 OF POSSESSION OF CHILD PORNOGRAPHY.

CHARGING PAPERS SAY SHORTLY AFTER 9:30 P.M. WEDNESDAY, A CASPER POLICE OFFICER RESPONDED TO THE COUPLE'S APARTMENT IN THE 6000 BLOCK OF CHEROKEE LANE AFTER CARTER HAD CALLED POLICE TO REPORT A NEIGHBOR HAD BEEN THREATENING HIM.

UPON ARRIVING AT CARTER'S APARTMENT, THE OFFICER "IMMEDIATELY OBSERVED THE FIRST FLOOR TO BE IN DISARRAY WITH GARBAGE, CLOTHES AND FOOD THROUGHOUT." THE KITCHEN COUNTERS AND SINK WERE "COMPLETELY PACKED WITH DIRTY DISHES AND OLD FOOD," ACCORDING TO THE AFFIDAVIT.

THE OFFICER NOTED THAT THE CHILD APPEARED TO BE SUFFERING FROM SOME TYPE OF ILLNESS, AS THE CHILD CONTINUOUSLY COUGHED WHILE THE OFFICER WAS PRESENT. CARTER AND LOEWENHAGEN CLAIMED THE COUGHING WAS DUE TO ALLERGIES, AS WELL AS THE FACT THAT THE CHILD NEEDED TO HAVE TEETH PULLED.

THE OFFICER TOOK THE CHILD INTO PROTECTIVE CUSTODY, AND AN AGENT WITH THE WYOMING DEPARTMENT OF FAMILY SERVICES PLACED THE CHILD WITH CARTER'S MOTHER.
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YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK STAFF BEGAN CAPTURING BISON LAST WEEK, BUT A SECOND ACT OF SABOTOGE IN AS MANY MONTHS HAS INTERRUPTED THE PROGRAM.
THE PARK SAYS UNKNOWN INDIVIDUALS ILLEGALLY OPENED THE FENCES AT THE STEPHENS CREEK FACILITY SOMETIME BETWEEN 9 P.M. WEDNESDAY AND 6 A.M. THURSDAY, WHICH RELEASED ABOUT 73 OF THE 96 BISON INSIDE THE PEN.

MANY, IF NOT ALL, OF THE BISON REMAINED IN THE IMMEDIATE AREA, AND MOST RETURNED TO THE PEN THROUGH THE SAME ILLEGAL FENCE OPENINGS.

PARK STAFF REPAIRED THE FENCE TO RE-SECURE THE FACILITY BY MID-DAY.

THE 96 BISON CAPTURED THIS PAST WEEK HAD NOT YET BEEN PROCESSED OR TESTED FOR BRUCELLOSIS.

SOME WOULD HAVE BEEN HELD FOR POSSIBLE QUARANTINE, WHILE OTHERS WOULD HAVE BEEN TRANSFERRED TO NATIVE AMERICAN TRIBES AND SHIPPED TO SLAUGHTER.
THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE HAS INITIATED A NEW CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION FOR THIS INCIDENT.

THE PARK IS REVIEWING SECURITY MEASURES AT THE FACILITY AND WILL MAKE IMPROVEMENTS IMMEDIATELY.

PARK SUPERINTENDENT DAN WENK SAID THIS ACT OF SABOTAGE, ALONG WITH A SIMILAR INCIDENT ON JANUARY 16TH, IS A SETBACK FOR BISON CONSERVATION.

WENK SAID A SUCCESSFUL QUARANTINE PROGRAM ALLOWS THE TRANSFER OF LIVE ANIMALS TO TRIBES TO DEVELOP CONSERVATION HERDS ON TRIBAL LANDS, AND THE SABOTEURS IRONICALLY ARE ENSURING MORE BISON WILL BE SHIPPED TO SLAUGHTER.

IN JANUARY, THE INTERAGENCY BISON MANAGEMENT PLAN PARTNERS AGREED TO REDUCE BY 600 TO 900 ANIMALS THE POPULATION OF 4,800 BISON BECAUSE MONTANA HAS LIMITED TOLERANCE FOR NATURAL BISON MIGRATIONS FROM THE PARK ONTO STATE LANDS.