BEAVER CITY - In a plea agreement with the Furnas County Attorney's office, an Arapahoe man pleaded no contest to and was convicted of a pair of felonies Wednesday in Furnas County District Court Wednesday morning.

District Court Judge James E. Doyle IV found Casey T. Heinen, 33, of Arapahoe guilty of First Degree Sexual Assault and Intentional Child Abuse, both Class II felonies. Each count carries a penalty of 1-50 years in prison and Heinen will be required to register as a sex offender.

BEAVER CITY - A McCook man was sentenced in Furnas County District Court Wednesday morning for charges he was convicted of in November relating to a sex trafficking investigation in Furnas County. 

Joseph H. Baumbach, 60, of McCook was sentenced to 30 days in jail and three years of probation for a misdemeanor charge of Contributing to the Delinquency of a Minor. He was also sentenced to an additional 90 days in jail for a felony charge of tampering with physical evidence. Finally, he was also ordered to complete 200 hours of community service for the felony conviction.

Twenty-one wrestlers from the five schools in the Valley Voice coverage area qualified for the Class D State Tournament in Omaha, which begins Wednesday, by medaling in the top four at Saturday's District Tournaments.

BEAVER CITY - A Beaver City man pleaded no contest and was found guilty of First Degree Sexual Assault Thursday in Furnas County District Court.

Hipolito "Polo" Padilla De Leon and his defense counsel reached a plea agreement with county prosecutors to reduce three counts of First Degree Sexual Assault of a Child, Class 1B felonies, to one count of First Degree Sexual Assault, a Class II felony. The crime occurred between some time between May of 2007 and 2009. A Class II felony carries a penalty of 1-50 years imprisonment.