Dunks, Messick enter guilty pleas

Two suspects who were pursued through Thermopolis on a stolen motorcycle have entered pleas to charges against them, though official sentencing has yet to happen in Hot Springs County Fifth Judicial District Court.

Jerome Dunks pleaded guilty to a felony charge of wrongful receiving, concealing or disposing of property, in exchange for a sentence of 2.5 to four years at the Wyoming State Penitentiary, with credit for time served, as well as a $3,000 fine to be suspended. Dunks also pleaded guilty to fleeing or attempting to elude police officers, and interference with an officer, in exchange for 180 days on each charge, served concurrently with the prison sentence. A second fleeing charge was dismissed.

Samantha Messick pleaded to conspiracy to wrongful receiving, concealing or disposing of property and interference with a peace officer. A third charge of possession of a controlled substance was dismissed.

Messick’s guilty pleas are in exchange for a sentence of 2.5 to four years in prison, which could be suspended for three years of supervised probation on the conspiracy charge. A $3,000 fine could also be suspended. As for the interference charge, it could result in eight months probation when she is sentenced.

In circuit court, Dunks was already sentenced to 20 days for driving under suspension, failure to stop a vehicle where an accident involves damage to attended vehicle and failure to stop vehicle where accident involves personal injury. Over 10 additional charges against him were dismissed.

Dunks and Messick were arrested June 30 after a lengthy chase in Thermopolis involving several traffic violations. Though the stolen bike they were riding was found abandoned, Dunks and Messick were both picked up a short time later.