(Colorado) -- The new year will be no different for the 16th judicial district, a very busy year is already shaping up with several higher-profile hearings and trials planned. Jury trials set on the dockets include:
A jury trial for the man accused of the Ft. Lyon fire is set for January 25th, 2024 in Bent County.
A jury trial for the man accused of sexual assault on a child is set in district court in Otero County on January 29th.
Greg Champney will be in court for his trial in the Fort Lyon fire in April of 2022.
The Fort Lyon fire destroyed two homes near Ft. Lyon and burned nearly 3,000 acres. Multiple agencies were deployed for mutual aid and the state of Colorado deployed a unit to help with relief. Champney is the code enforcement officer for the City of Las Animas. He turned himself in to the Bent County Sheriff's office when charges were filed that included:
Charges Arson 1 5/16/2022 --Status Arrest Only Charge Statute 18-4-102(1) Class F3 (Class 3 Felony) Offense Date From 04/12/2022
Charges Arson 2-damage $100k-$1m Reads 18-4-103 Status Arrest Only Charge Statute 18-4-103(1),(2)(g) Class F3 (Class 3 Felony) Offense Date From 04/12/2022
Charges Arson 4-property $100k-$1m Endangered Reads 18-4-105(2) Status Arrest Only Charge Statute 18-4-105(1),(3)(g) Class F3 (Class 3 Felony) Offense Date From 04/12/2022
Charges Firing Woods/prairie-set Fire Reads 18-13-109 Status Arrest Only Charge Statute 18-13-109(1) Class PO (Unclassified Petty Offense) Offense Date From 04/12/2022
Charges Reckless Endangerment Status Arrest Only Charge Statute 18-3-208 Class M2 (Class 2 Misdemeanor) Offense Date From 04/12/2022
Champney is to be in court on December 19th for a pre-trial readiness conference and an eight-day jury trial is scheduled to begin in Bent County in district court on January 25th.
Meanwhile, a jury trial is set for Otero County in the month of January for Otero County resident Phillip Grano. He's held in the Bent County jail on charges of sexual assault on a child by a person in a position of trust, sexual assault on a minor younger than 15 years old, and a charge of inducement of child prostitution according to his inmate information on the Bent County Jail website.
According to the Otero County dockets, Grano is set for a Jury trial to last approximately ten days to start January 29th.
Another case of possible interest includes a Rocky Ford resident in the Bent County Jail with multiple charges. According to inmate information on the Bent County Jail website, Charles Amaya's charges include:
18-2-101. Criminal attempt (VAR) Other
18-3-102(1)(A) Murder 1st degree after deliberation and w/the intent to cau Felony 1
18-3-202(1)(A)1 Assualt 1st degree to cause serious bodily injury w/deadly w Felony 3
18-6-801.6 Domestic Violence summons & complaint Other
The Otero County Docket shows Amaya to be in court on January 4th, 2024 for an arraignment.
The 16th Judicial District is comprised of Crowley, Otero, and Bent Counties. There is a virtual option available from each county's court home page.
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