LAKE COUNTY — The Lake County District Attorney settled a case Monday against two defendants and dropped the charges against the lead defendant.
Joseph Henri Deshetres and Cheryl Ann Reese pleaded guilty to misdemeanor attempting to intimidate a witness as aides and abettors. District Attorney Jon Hopkins alleged that Deshetres, 62, Thomas Loyd Dudney, 59, and Reese, 56, conspired in November to intimidate a witness in the attempted murder case against Dudney. The three were scheduled to start their jury trial today.
Hopkins dropped the intimidating a witness case against Dudney, who still faces 11 charges in the attempted murder and torture case.
“I decided that neither one of them really wanted anything to happen to anybody,” Hopkins said of Deshetres and Reese. “They were more dealing with Dudney”s persistent requests.”
Though Deshetres and Reese passed along information to the witness”s landlord, Hopkins said neither defendant nor landlord planned to hurt the witness.
Hopkins said he got an OK on the settlement from the witness.
“She was fine with the way things went,” he said.
Neither defendant will have to serve more jail time in the case after receiving credit for time served, Hopkins said. Deshetres served 157 days and received 314 days of credit. Reese served 66 days and received 132 days of credit. They also paid $160 in fines and fees. Dudney remains in custody at the Lake County Jail in the attempted murder case.
The district attorney said he saw no purpose in moving forward with the intimidating a witness case against Dudney because he plans to present the same evidence during the attempted murder trial in August. He also said he aimed for the furtherance of justice and the interest of judicial economy with the decision.
Dudney”s public defender, Doug Rhoades, said he wasn”t surprised by the dismissal.
“I”m glad they dismissed the charges and I”m glad they dismissed the case because I did not believe they could prove he”s guilty without more evidence.”
The other defense attorneys did not return requests for comment before press time.
Dudney and another co-defendant, Joshua Isaac Wandrey of Rohnert Park, allegedly shot, tortured and hogtied Ronald Greiner Oct. 20 at the Lakeport man”s home on South Main Street behind the Record-Bee building.
Dudney and Wandrey, 35, are charged with premeditated attempted murder, aggravated mayhem, torture, home invasion robbery in concert with another, first-degree burglary, assault with a firearm, assault with a blunt force object, assault likely to produce great bodily injury, serious battery, simple mayhem and participating in the criminal street gang, the Misfits.
Three of the 11 charges carry life sentences. Special allegations that the crimes were committed for the benefit of a criminal street gang, that great bodily injury was inflicted and use of a firearm accompany the charges.
The charges against Deborah Ann James, 47, were dropped March 1 after Judge Arthur Mann found there wasn”t sufficient evidence on charges of premeditated attempted murder, home invasion robbery in concert with another, first-degree burglary and participating in the criminal street gang the Misfits.
Dudney and Wandrey agreed to a continuance on their jury trial in April and were rescheduled for trial assignment Aug. 13 and jury trial Aug. 17. They are being held in the Lake County Jail without bail.
Contact Katy Sweeny at kdsweeny@gmail.com or call her directly at 263-5636, ext. 37.
