Plains man sentenced for 2017 sexual assault

A Plains man, Dylan Hicks, as been sentenced to 10 years with the Department of Corrections with five years suspended on an amended charge of sexual assault. Judge Deborah “Kim” Christopher on Tuesday sentenced Hicks to five years with the Department of Corrections on a second charge criminal distribution of dangerous drugs. Hicks was also fined $500 for the drug charge, and will be required to register as a tier 1 sex offender.

Judge Christopher gave credit to Hicks for cooperating with law enforcement and taking responsibility for his actions.

Also before Judge Christopher on Tuesday, Justin Lovell was found guilty of felony criminal endangerment and faces up to 10 years in incarceration. Lovell originally had been charged with assault with a weapon for a confrontation involving a gun in November 2017. Lovell entered an Alford plea, meaning he felt it was in his best interest to take a plea and that he felt it was likely a jury would find him guilty.

A Hot Springs woman changed her plea to guilty yesterday on charges stemming from a theft of a local service organization.

Judge Christopher found Lara Aldridge guilty in 20th District Judicial Court on Tuesday to one county of felony theft.

According to charging documents, Aldridge served as secretary and bookkeeper for the Hot Springs Rural Fire Department between 2014 and 2017. Court documents alleged Aldridge of writing 15 unauthorized checks from the fire department totalling more than $35,000.