Three plead guilty to charges in summer theft near Floyd

By Bob Steenson, bsteenson@charlescitypress.com

Three people involved in stealing almost $10,000 worth of property and causing more than $6,000 in damage at a rural property northwest of Floyd over the summer have entered written pleas of guilty to charges of burglary and theft.

The pleas have been filed with Floyd County District Court over the last couple of months, and all involve recommendations from the county attorney for no jail time and suspended fines in return for the guilty pleas.

The pleas were:

• Jeremie Jay Clay, 39, of Charles City, pleaded guilty to one count of third-degree burglary and one count of second-degree theft, both Class D felonies. The county attorney will recommend a sentence of five years in prison, suspended; a $750 fine, suspended; three years of supervised probation; and restitution. Two additional charges of burglary in the third degree will be dismissed. Clay’s plea was filed Nov. 20.

• Dylan Leroy Meister, 20, of Clear Lake, pleaded guilty to one count of third-degree burglary and one count of second-degree theft. The county attorney will recommend a sentence of five years in prison, suspended; a $750 fine, suspended; three years of supervised probation; and restitution. Two additional charges of burglary in the third degree will be dismissed. Meister’s plea was filed Oct. 3.

• Alea Marie Slessor, 22, of Clear Lake, pleaded guilty to one count of third-degree burglary. The recommended sentence will be for a five-year prison sentence, suspended; $750 fine, suspended; three years supervised probation; and placement at BeJe Clark Residential Facility in Mason City for 180 days or until maximum benefits are achieved. Two additional burglary charges and a charge of second-degree theft will be dismissed. Slessor’s plea was filed Sept. 21.

According to court documents, the three are accused of going to a property in the 1300 block of March Avenue between July 30 and Aug. 17, entering the house, a metal shed and a barn and taking property without the owner’s consent.

Clay was arrested by the Floyd County Sheriff’s Office in Charles City on Sept. 14 and Meister and Slessor were arrested Sept. 15 in Nashua.

Items belonging to the owner of the rural property were allegedly located in the possession of the defendants during the execution of a search warrant in August.

Meister’s plea hearing and sentencing has been set for Jan. 9, 2018, and Slessor’s plea hearing has been set for Jan. 16, 2018. Clay’s plea agreement hearing and sentencing has been set for Feb. 6, 2018.

The judge in the cases is not bound to accept the recommendation of the county attorney regarding sentencing, and can set any sentence up to the maximums allowed.