A unique plea agreement has been crafted for a Bullhead City man, providing him incentive to reimburse the state of Arizona in a benefit theft caper. Prosecutor Jacob Cote said that Jonathan Hegge, 36, illegally obtained DES and AHCCS benefits worth more than $67,000 from the State of Arizona while he and his wife lived in southern Nevada between late Jan., 2014 and late Oct., 2015.
Cote said Hegge also served as a lookout at the Mohave County jail when two other inmates fought in a cell on Nov. 23 last year. He said Hegge did not participate in the attack but that he stood by as one inmate assaulted another with a broomstick.
Hegge pled guilty to theft in one case and aggravated assault in the other during a Feb. 13 hearing in Mohave County Superior Court in Kingman.
Terms of the deal require Judge Derek Carlisle to place Hegge on probation provided that he make initial restitution payment of $2,000 on or before March 15 and that he shows up for a sentencing set on the same date. Failure to make payment on time, or attend the sentencing hearing allow Judge Carlisle to instead impose a prison term of up to 8.5 years.
