Court Blotter: Marijuana Possession, Retail Fraud and Weapons Possession

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.

Renee Marie Heard, 31, Canton

• Arraigned on a charge of retail fraud stemming from an incident in Canton, the offense date of April 25, 2011
• Pretrial hearing held on Aug. 8, 2011
• Trial adjourned for one week, as Heard is on work detail and doing community service for the court

Katherine Ann Jacobs, 27, Wyandotte

• Arraigned on a charge of possession of marijuana and violation of public health code in Northville Township
• Pleaded guilty
• Scheduled for a presentence interview with the probation department

Marc Alfred Provonsha, 35, Canton

• Charged with retail fraud committed in Canton
• Pleaded nolo contendere [the defendant neither accepts nor denies responsibility for the charge, but agrees to accept the court’s punishment]
• The court gave him a delayed sentence, and he was referred to probation for a presentence interview and sentencing agreement

Robert Fran Walkiewicz, 46, Pinckney

• Charged with possession of a weapon in the City of Plymouth
• Case disposed on a guilty plea
• Referred to the probation department
• Fined $498 and given a delayed sentence

Merlin Leach, 60, Canton

• Charged with reckless firearm and cruelty to animals in Canton
• Both counts dismissed on Aug. 8, 2011 as Officer in Charge was unavailable and did not appear at trial

Carly Denise Woodard, 20, Plymouth

• Pleaded guilty to possession of marijuana in Canton
• Referred to probation department for a presentence interview and sentencing agreement

Anthony Phillip Portelli, 19, Canton

• Charged with possession of marijuana in the City of Plymouth
• Pleaded guilty and referred to probation department
• Fined $1,208, and given 12 months of reporting probation

Varian Alane Walker, 61, Ypsilanti

• Arraigned on a charge of retail fraud committed in Canton
• Pleaded not guilty
• Trial scheduled

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