Serving Lincoln County for more than a century!
Serving Lincoln County for more than a century!
Denning and Ogden plead not guilty
Jake Denning was found competent to stand trial in Lincoln County Superior Court after his defense filed for an evaluation in early February.
GRAND COULEE - Two suspects accused of check fraud and burglary were found competent to stand trial during a hearing in Lincoln County Superior Court on Tuesday, March 4.
Jake Keith Denning and Brittany Ann Ogden, both of whom had previously undergone competency evaluations, were deemed fit for trial by both the state and their respective defenses.
Denning entered a plea of not guilty to the charges against him. The state requested that his bond remain at $50,000 with standard release conditions. His trial date was set for April 16 at 9 a.m.
Ogden, who had her competency determined during a February 4 hearing, also entered a plea of not guilty. The state asked for her bond to remain at $25,000 with standard release conditions.
However, her defense requested a bond reduction to $5,000, arguing that she does not pose a flight risk and has no extensive criminal history. Her attorney noted that her father and brother reside in the state.
"It doesn't look like there is an extensive criminal history," said Superior Court Judge Adam Walser. "I am going to leave it at $25,000."
Ogden was granted a no-cost court-appointed attorney.
Her trial date was set for May 21, with a readiness hearing scheduled for April 22.
Both defendants face multiple felony charges, including first-degree burglary, first-degree identity theft, and second-degree theft involving an access device.
Denning faces additional charges of forgery, theft of a firearm, and failure to register as a sex offender.
The case stems from an investigation into the burglary of a Grand Coulee residence belonging to 78-year-old Keith Young. Young, who had been wintering in Mexico, reported unauthorized transactions totaling $2,417.80 after discovering that six of his checks had been fraudulently endorsed to Denning.
Investigators later determined that Denning and Ogden had been unlawfully residing on Young's property and had repeatedly entered his home, stealing checks, firearms, and other valuables.
Court proceedings will continue as both defendants prepare for their respective trials.
Olivia Harnack is the award-winning managing editor/photographer/videographer/columnist at the Lincoln County Record-Times, with offices in both Davenport and Odessa, Wash. She is a University of Idaho graduate and a U.S. Army National Guardsman.
Reader Comments(0)