Candidate for Churchill County Sheriff, Daniel Ray Sharp, appeared in the Tenth Judicial District Court before Judge Thomas Stockard on April 24 to enter a change of plea. Sharp, who is being represented by the law offices of Jesse Kalter, Esq., was arraigned in January on three felony charges, including 1) Assault with a Deadly Weapon, a Category B Felony punishable by 1-6 years in prison, (2) Burglary with Possession of a Firearm or Deadly Weapon, also a Category B Felony, punishable by 1-10 years, and (3) Coercion with use of Physical Force or the Immediate Threat of Physical Force, a Category B Felony that carries 1-6 years. Sharp waived his right to a speedy trial and pled not guilty on all three charges.
According to the amended information set in the plea agreement, on January 6, 2020, at or near 1044 Butte View Drive in Fallon, Sharp “did conspire with another with intent to compel another to do or abstain from doing an act that the other person has the right to do or abstain from doing, use physical force or the immediate threat of physical force to violence or inflict injury up the other person or any of his family, or upon his property, or threaten such violence or injury; deprive the person of any tool or implement, or clothes, or hinder him the use thereof; or attempt to intimidate that person with threats of force, to wit: said defendant did use the immediate threat of physical violence upon Eli McDonnell and demanded he leave his own room.”
A jury trial was scheduled to begin on April 27, but Sharp elected to change his plea upon reaching a satisfactory plea agreement with the state. Per that agreement, Sharp pled guilty to Conspiracy to Commit Coercion with the use of Physical Force or the Immediate Threat of Physical Force, a gross misdemeanor punishable by up to 364 days in jail. The defense and the state reached a joint recommendation for sentencing, in which Sharp will spend one day in jail, pay a fine of $2,000, and pay restitution of $2,000 to Eli McDonnell, the named victim in the case.
Judge Stockard asked Chief Deputy District Attorney Lane Mills what the state was prepared to prove should the matter have gone to trial. According to Mills, Eli McDonnell testified in a preliminary hearing stating that Sharp, who was his landlord at the time, came into his room and poured oil (or a similar substance on him), pointed a gun at him, and threatened to light him on fire and kill him unless he moved out. After which, Sharp forced McDonnell off the premises.
Sharp’s attorney would have likely disputed this assertion during the trial; however, the state was confident that there was adequate evidence to substantiate McDonnell’s testimony. The court set sentencing for May 24 at 3 p.m., at which time McDonnell will have an opportunity to provide a victim impact statement if desired. Sharp will also have a chance to address the Court at that time.
The Fallon Post reached out to Sharp for comment. He said since there is one final hearing next month, he should ask counsel before making a statement. He did confirm that he is still running for sheriff in the 2022 election.
All defendants are innocent until proven guilty. The Fallon Post reports on statements made in open court and may rely on court documents that are public records.
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