Robbery suspect jailed

One of the suspects in a Wal-Mart parking lot robbery received a four-month jail sentence in Buchanan County Circuit Court on Tuesday in an unrelated matter.

Jeremy S. Hicks, 21, surrendered the probation he received for violating an order of protection last year. His private attorney, Tara Cluck, asked Associate Judge Ron Taylor for a 30-day sentence, while assistant prosecutor Rebecca Thomas requested four months. But that misdemeanor conviction and subsequent four-month jail sentence is fairly minor compared to the charges Mr. Hicks and his fellow defendants currently face.

According to police and court records, Mr. Hicks and David Lee Hendrix, 22, allegedly stopped Nicholas Poirer on Sept. 11 in the crowded parking lot of the South Belt Wal-Mart. During the robbery, police detectives said, Mr. Poirer attempted to defend himself, and Mr. Hicks or Mr. Hendrix shot Mr. Poirer in the leg. The two suspects took money, a witness said.

Mr. Hicks and Mr. Hendrix face first-degree robbery charges — a felony that holds a prison term of 10 to 30 years or life imprisonment.

Mr. Hendrix also appeared in Circuit Court Tuesday to waive his preliminary hearing in front of Associate Judge Keith Marquart. Mr. Hendrix will be arraigned before Judge Pat Robb on Nov. 2.

Mr. Hicks is due back in court on Nov. 19 for his trial setting before Judge Dan Kellogg. Both defendants remain in custody on $100,000 bond apiece.

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Arraignment set for man charged in drug case

Butler Bynote, 56, waived his preliminary hearing and saw his bond reduced from $75,000 to $20,000 on Tuesday in Buchanan County Circuit Court.

According to court documents, the St. Joseph man allegedly sold crack cocaine to a confidential informant of the Drug Strike Force on Oct. 1.

Mr. Bynote will be arraigned before Judge Pat Robb on Nov. 9. He also faces a possession of a controlled substance charge.

R.J. Cooper compiled this report and can be reached at rjcooper@npgco.com.