MOHAVE VALLEY – An accused drug dealer from Mohave Valley faces possible prison time after entering a plea agreement in Kingman Monday. Maria Kormes, 35, is being convicted of a reduced charge of attempted possession of dangerous drugs for sale. Authorities said 25 grams of methamphetamine was found in Kormes’ purse following a Feb. 2 2019 traffic stop in the 2100 block of Mustang in Mohave Valley. Kormes is eligible for probation but could get up to 8.75 years in prison when sentenced Feb. 12 by Superior Court judge Derek Carlisle. Case co-defendant Javier Escalante, 41, Ontario, California also pleaded…

KINGMAN – A Pocatello, Idaho man busted with drugs in Mohave County entered a mandatory prison plea deal during a Monday hearing before Superior Court Judge Carlisle. Steven Shaffer, 49, pleaded guilty to possession of dangerous drugs for sale. Deputy Mohave County Attorney Reed Weisberg said authorities seized 2.5 pounds of methamphetamine from Shaffer’s vehicle during a June 15 traffic stop in the rural community of Chloride north of Kingman. Weisberg said Shaffer was the driver and sole occupant of the vehicle. Terms of the deal require Judge Carlisle to impose an 8-year prison term during a Jan. 12 sentencing…

KINGMAN – Sexual relations with an inmate could bring prison time for a Golden Valley woman. Melony Petrovffsky, 50, pleaded guilty Dec. 8 to unlawful sexual conduct by a correctional employee, while two identical charges are dismissed in the deal. Deputy Mohave County attorney James Schoppmann said Petrovffsky was employed by the GEO Group, which operates the state prison in Golden Valley, when she engaged in sexual activity with a male inmate in the commissary in Sept. 2019. He said evidence of the illegal conduct was captured by the video surveillance system. “There was kissing, hugging and groping going on…

KINGMAN – Sexual relations with an inmate could bring prison time for a Golden Valley woman. Melony Petrovffsky, 50, pleaded guilty Dec. 8 to unlawful sexual conduct by a correctional employee, while two identical charges are dismissed in the deal. Deputy Mohave County attorney James Schoppmann said Petrovffsky was employed by the GEO Group, which operates the state prison in Golden Valley, when she engaged in sexual activity with a male inmate in the commissary in Sept. 2019. He said evidence of the illegal conduct was captured by the video surveillance system. “There was kissing, hugging and groping going on…

LAKE HAVASU CITY – A Lake Havasu City man was critically injured when shot by a police officer Thursday. The Mohave County Sheriff’s office is conducting an independent review of the 6:15 p.m. incident at a business in the 1700 block of Kiowa Ave. Sheriff’s office spokeswoman Anita Mortensen said officers spotted Jon Steven Douglas, 29, inside the Hobby Lobby at the Kiowa Ave. shopping Center and knew him to be named in active felony arrest warrants. She said Douglas attempted to flee the scene and struggled with one of the officers who tried to place him in custody. “One…

A Mohave County judge has broad discretion in pondering punishment for a Lake Havasu City man who fled the scene after his vehicle struck and injured a motorcyclist on May 6. Robert Bergman, 36, could simply be placed on probation or he could be ordered to spend up to 7.5 years in prison. Bergman pleaded guilty Thursday to failure to stop at the scene of an accident involving serious physical injury. Bergman must also pay nearly $11,000 in restitution to the Mohave County Victim’s Compensation Fund. Deputy Mohave County attorney Leah Nelson said Bergman was driving his pickup truck northbound…