Court Blotter: Marijuana Possession, Weapons Possession and Retail Fraud

The following items are updates on cases in the 35th District Court, which serves Plymouth, Canton and Northville. Not all items, unless otherwise noted, reflect guilty pleas or convictions.

Gregory Earl Wethington, 29, Canton

• Pleaded not guilty to receiving and concealing stolen property valued less than $200 on July 1.
• Pretrial hearing held on July 18, where a court-appointed attorney was requested and assigned.

Bryan Mitchell Thomas, 28, Carson, CA

• Arrested for indecent exposure and assaulting a police officer on June 25.
• Warrant issued for his arrest on July 12 for failing to appear at his hearing.
• The prosecutor dismissed the charge of assaulting a police officer on July 18, after which Thomas pleaded nolo contendere (which means the defendant neither accepts nor denies responsibility for the charge, but agrees to accept the court’s punishment) on the indecent exposure charge.

Michael David Burzynski, 34, Taylor

• Originally charged with violation of the public health code for possession/use of marijuana.
• Pleaded guilty to the amended charge of violation of the public health code for possession of paraphernalia on July 18.
• Sentenced to 12 months nonreporting probation.

Robert Frank Walkiewicz, 46, Pinckney

• Arraigned on a charge of illegal possession of a weapon.
• Pleaded not guilty on July 18.
• Scheduled for trial on Aug. 1.

Merlin E. Leach, 60, Canton

• Pretrial arraignment on charges of cruelty to animals and reckless use of a firearm.
• Pleaded not guilty to both charges and waived a jury trial and agreed to a bench trial, which means his trial will be held before the judge, who will determine his guilt or innocence.

John Raymond Sheehan, 29, Canton

• Pleaded guilty to third-degree retail fraud, amended from a charge of second-degree retail fraud.
• Scheduled for a presentencing interview with the probation department to determine his sentence.

For questions on this court blotter, email nancy.kelsey@patch.com, peg.mcnichol@patch.com or john.mckay@patch.com.