MADISON — A Norfolk man was sentenced to prison on Friday for a felony conviction that resulted from his threat on an officer’s life.
Jerry Yelli, 59, was sentenced by District Judge Mark Johnson to 12 to 13 months in prison for terroristic threats. Yelli’s sentence was ordered to run consecutive to a sentence he is serving out of Holt County in which his projected release is in March 2026.
In March 2022, Yelli was paroled after serving less than 3½ years of an 8- to 16-year sentence for two counts of possession of methamphetamine with intent to deliver, driving during revocation, possession of meth and obstructing a police officer. The Nebraska Department of Corrections revoked Yelli’s parole as a result of his recent arrest in Norfolk.
Shortly after 11:30 p.m. on Feb. 3, a police officer was dispatched to a residence in the 1500 block of West Pasewalk Avenue for a report of a suspicious person who had been knocking on the door of a residence and was trying to get inside the house.
The officer had contact with the person, who identified himself as Yelli, on the front porch of the residence. The officer told Yelli that the home’s occupants did not want him there and that he was not welcome. Yelli said he understood and would be walking home.
The officer offered Yelli a ride in his cruiser, and Yelli accepted. Yelli was told by the officer that if he wanted a ride, he would have to be searched beforehand. During a search of Yelli’s person, the officer found a glass pipe commonly associated with meth use. The pipe field tested positive for meth.
Yelli then was placed under arrest on suspicion of possession of a controlled substance. While being transported to the city jail, Yelli made numerous profanity-laced comments about wanting his handcuffs to be taken off so he could fight multiple officers. Yelli also yelled, “I'll (expletive) kill you" to the transporting officer.
Initially charged with terroristic threats and possession of meth, Yelli pleaded guilty on Friday to the threats charge and had the drug charge dismissed. He requested to proceed to sentencing without a pre-sentence investigation, provided that he was already facing another 3-plus years in prison before Friday’s hearing.
Matthew Kiernan, deputy Madison County attorney, agreed to recommend a year in prison for Yelli. The county attorney’s office normally would recommend more than a year in a case like Yelli’s, Kiernan said, but prosecutors settled on a 1-year recommendation because of the Holt County sentence Yelli is already serving.
Kiernan asked Johnson to order Yelli’s sentence to be consecutive to his Holt County charges, though, saying that Yelli’s February arrest was the result of “an entirely different offense.”
Chelsey Hartner, deputy Madison County public defender, asked Johnson to consider a concurrent sentence for Yelli. He already had his parole revoked and was looking at another 3 years because of the February incident, she said.
Yelli had consumed either alcohol or controlled substances that night, Hartner said, but he didn’t remember what he had drunk or used. Further, she said, Yelli was handcuffed in the back of a patrol car when he threatened the officer, so there was a low likelihood that he would have been able to carry out his threats.
Johnson gave Yelli credit for 49 days already served. His sentence on Friday will not begin until his Holt County sentence concludes.
Others appeared (or did not appear) on the following charges:
Second-degree forgery ($5,000 or more)
— Joshua M. Barnes, 24, Madison County Jail, had a motion to continue his arraignment sustained.
Theft by unlawful taking ($5,000 or more)
— Travis Belina, 25, Battle Creek, pleaded not guilty.
Driving under the influence — fourth offense, transporting a child while intoxicated
— Yasiim S. Bribieseca, 36, 1010 S. Third St., pleaded not guilty to both charges.
Possession of methamphetamine
— Gerald J. Hasebroock, 36, Pierce, failed to appear. Johnson revoked Hasebroock’s bond and ordered for a warrant to be issued for his arrest.
— Sriphrai Snedeker, 39, 1410 S. Second St., had a motion to continue her arraignment sustained.
Driving under the influence (refusal of test) — third offense, refusal of a chemical breath test — third offense
— Corwin M. Latchie, 43, 1404 Country Club Road, Apt. 13, pleaded not guilty to both charges.
Second-degree forgery ($5,000 or more)
— Jason E. Mahoney, 34, Douglas County Corrections, pleaded not guilty.
Possession of methamphetamine, driving under the influence
— Miguel Martinez, 18, Madison County Jail, pleaded not guilty to both charges.
Possession of methamphetamine, child abuse, probation violation on the conviction of delivery of hydrocodone
— Nakia R. Wells, 35, 605 S. First St., Apt. 3, denied violating her probation. A motion to continue her arraignment on charges of possession of meth and child abuse were sustained.
Possession of cocaine, driving under the influence (.15 grams or more)
— Erick Garcia Hernandez, 24, Madison, pleaded guilty to both charges. Garcia Hernandez was accepted into the Northeast Nebraska Adult Drug Court program on his drug charge, and a pre-sentence investigation report was ordered on the DUI charge.
Escape, obstructing a police officer, resisting arrest
— Rashid D. Perry, 23, Madison County Jail, pleaded not guilty to each charge. Perry was granted a request to have his bond lowered from $40,000 to $25,000.
