New Circuit Judge Jasmine R.H. Morton presided over two plea hearings earlier this month. On April 2nd, Richard David Cooke and his attorney David Karickhoff came before the Court.
The purpose of the hearing was to convey to the Court that Cooke and the Braxton County Prosecuting Attorney’s office had reached a plea agreement pertaining to the charges Cooke was facing.
On behalf of Cooke, Attorney Karickhoff, told the Court that his client was prepared to plead guilty to the charge of burglary as contained in the indictment against him. In exchange for the plea, Daniel Dotson III told Judge Morton that the Prosecutor’s office was willing to dismiss the remaining charges against Cooke and recommend that the defendant be placed on probation.
Judge Morton asked Cooke if he realized that he would be facing 1 to 15 years in the state penitentiary as a result of the plea. Cooke verified that he recognized the possibility. Upon questioning the defendant and his attorney, Judge Morton accepted Cooks’ plea of guilty to one count of burglary and set sentencing for 1:30 p.m. on May 13, 2025. The defendant was told to file the necessary paperwork to be released from jail and gave the Prosecutor’s office 5 days to file any objection they may have to the release.
Also, on April 2 Ayla Rebecca Simons came before Judge Morton to enter a plea of guilty to possession with the intent to deliver fentanyl as part of plea agreement with the Prosecuting Attorney’s office. Simons faces a $50,000 fine and 3 to 15 years in the state penitentiary. The State agreed not to charge the defendant with any additional crimes related to the possession or sale of controlled substances on November 7, 2024, and will dismiss any remaining bound over charges related to the crimes committed on that date. The PA’s office also recommended that any sentence imposed be served consecutively to the sentence Simons is currently serving.
Upon verifying that the defendant understood the consequences of her actions in entering the plea, Judge Morton accepted the plea and set sentencing for 1:00 p.m. on May 12th. Simons was remanded back to the custody of the Central Regional Jail to await further court action.
Timothy Rosinsky represented Simons during the hearing. Daniel Dotson III represented the Prosecuting Attorney Dwayne Vandevender.