Man pleads innocent to gun charges

A 20-year-old Papillion man accused of hiding two weapons after a road rage incident pleaded innocent to three charges Monday in Dodge County District Court.

Brandon S. Harris pleaded innocent to tampering with evidence, a Class IV felony, and the Class I misdemeanors of being an accessory to a felony and false reporting.

Along with Joshua Albers, 18, of Fremont, Harris is accused in a Feb. 11 gun-related road rage incident that began with a verbal argument at Fremont Mall. The two are then accused of following the victim to the 2700 block of N. Yager Road where Albers is accused of firing three shots from what was described as a starter’s pistol.

Fremont Police drew their weapons on the two men during a high-risk stop when they were located back at the mall.

No weapons were found in the car, but officers later located two handguns wrapped in a blanket behind Hy-Vee Food Store.

Dodge County Sheriff Steve Hespen said one of the guns recovered was a chrome-plated short barrel revolver that was a type of starter pistol and the other was a semi-automatic handgun that fired BBs. He said both guns appeared to be real handguns before closer inspection.

Harris requested a jury trial. An April 26 pre-trial conference was set with further hearing set for April 30.

The Albers case still is in Dodge County Court.

Other cases heard Monday included:

* Esteban Reyes, 37, of Lincoln pleaded no contest to making terroristic threats, a Class IV felony. In exchange for his plea, charges of use of a weapon to commit a felony, a Class III felony; third-degree assault, a Class I misdemeanor; and disturbing the peace, a Class III misdemeanor. A pre-sentence investigation was ordered and sentencing set for May 21.

* Charles W. Schollmeyer, 24, of Fremont asked to have a new attorney appointed because he claimed a conflict of interest with court-appointed attorney Brad Holtorff. Holtorff said he wasn’t aware of the conflict and Judge John Samson continued the hearing until April 23 to determine if a conflict exists and a new attorney should be appointed. Schollmeyer is charged with burglary, a Class III felony; first-degree criminal trespass and false reporting, Class I misdemeanors; and disturbing the peace, a Class III misdemeanor.