Hammond receives probation

SALT LAKE CITY — A retired Air Force lieutenant colonel and former Syracuse city council member was sentenced last week to two years probation and six months home confinement after pleading guilty to sexual battery in federal court.

He could have been sentenced to one year in prison for fondling another man in a steam room at Hill Air Force Base two years ago.

Hammond, 68, pleaded guilty to the class A misdemeanor charge in March for the incident that took place in December 2009.

Hammond apologized to the court, his wife and the victim, saying that it must have been hard on him.

U.S. Magistrate Judge Paul Warner ordered Hammond to pay a $2,000 fine. He did not order Hammond to get counseling, but suggested it, saying he believes Hammond has some issue that need to be addressed.

Hammond initially denied the allegations, but later confessed.

Hammond’s attorney Ron Yengich said his client realizes the seriousness of his conduct. He has suffered personal embarrassment because of publicity surrounding the case.

Ex-Air Force major Canton pleads guilty

SALT LAKE CITY— A former U.S. Air Force major pleaded guilty last week to using the Internet to arrange sex with a 14-year-old Layton girl in 2007.

Major Reinaldo L. Canton, 47, pleaded guilty to a Class A misdemeanor of enticing a minor moments before he was set to go to trial in 3rd District Court.

Canton was working for the Air Force in Albuquerque, N. M. as a Rocket Science Program Manager when he started chatting with an undercover agent who was posing as a 14-year-old girl.

Canton quickly turned the online conversation to sex and he arranged to meet the girl at the Layton Hills Mall so he could have sex with her.

Canton was arrested on April 11, 2007 and told investigators he showed up at the meeting to “just have dinner” and then to see “how Internet safety programs work.” He also said he wanted “to warn the girl about the dangers of the Internet.” He told investigators he traveled from his hotel in Ogden to Layton out of “morbid curiosity.”

Federal charges were dropped against Canton when he claimed his poor medical health would not allow him to be prosecuted. The Utah Attorney General’s Office filed new charges but Canton still claimed his heart was so weak that he would probably die if he tried to travel to court hearings in Utah.

The FBI later uncovered photos of Canton snowmobiling with his family in the mountains of Colorado in December 2010.

They also found a waiver signed by Canton indicating his health was good. Still he failed to show up at his next hearing and he sent a letter from a psychiatrist saying the stress of appearing in court in person would severely impact his health.

“This defendant has a doctorate degree and he seemed to think everyone was stupid enough to believe he was either physically or mentally too ill to face the consequences of his crime,” Attorney General Mark Shurtleff said.

Canton entered a Sery plea in which he admits guilt but plans to challenge the state law on statute of limitations. He is scheduled to be sentenced before Third District Judge Robin Reese on Aug. 22.

Local man charged with beating wife

CENTERVILLE — A Centerville man remains in the Davis County Jail after he allegedly beat his wife with nunchakus over the weekend.

Andrew James Lukenbach, 30, was arrested Saturday night and was in court Monday, charged with two counts of aggravated assault and one count of commission of domestic violence in the presence of a child after police were called to the couple’s home on Porter Lane on reports of a fight in progress.

Centerville Police Lt. Paul Child said Lukenbach and his wife apparently began fighting Friday, but the argument continued Saturday when Lukenbach’s wife went with a male friend.

When she and her friend returned about 10 p.m. Saturday, Child said Lukenbach “was enraged” his wife had gone with her friend and allegedly began beating the friend through the car window with the nunchakus and hitting the car. When his wife tried to intervene, Lukenbach allegedly turned his attention to his wife and began hitting her.

Child said by the time police arrived, the wife was bleeding profusely. Child had no information on the extent of injuries to the wife’s friend.

Child said that after the attack Lukenbach left. Police contacted him and he agreed to return, but didn’t return for two hours. Officers were waiting and arrested him.

Child said there were several witnesses in the neighborhood and that the attack had taken place in front of the couple’s young children, ages 7, 10 and 11, who were outside at the time.

Child said Lukenbach told officers he had used his fists, not a weapon, “but there was evidence that a weapon had been used.”

Lukenbach remains in the Davis County Jail on $10,000 bail.

No jail time set for Moyes

FARMINGTON — The young man who hit and killed a pedestrian with his car right after reading a text message was sentenced to community service and a fine.

Craig Moyes, 20, of Layton, was sentenced to 240 hours of community service to be served by the end of the year and fined $375 last week. He is also on probation for 24 months.

Moyes pleaded guilty to one count of negligent homicide in April, a class A misdemeanor and one count of careless driving, a class C misdemeanor.

On Dec. 9, 2010, police say Moyes read a test message while driving and put his phone down. His vehicle struck Alex Carr, 20, also of Layton, who was walking in a crosswalk at 442 South State Street in Clearfield. Carr died four days later.

Moyes suffers from a traumatic brain injury caused by complications at birth. That was taken into account during sentencing.

Moyes defense attorney Michael Edwards, said his client became depressed following the accident and had even considered suicide.

Police ask for help in locating man

LAYTON — Police here are asking for the public’s help in finding a man last seen on May 10.

Victor Flores, 25, disappeared under suspicious circumstances, according to Layton Police Lt. Garrett Atkin.

The California resident apparently came to Utah on May 9, and was seen with friends the following day.

Atkin said that because it is an open case, he can’t comment on what makes the case seem suspicious, but did say Flores’ family notified police that he was missing.

Flores is described as Hispanic, is 5-feet, 11-inches tall, weighing about 165 pounds, with brown hair and hazel eyes. Anyone with information about Flores or where he is is asked to call police at 801-497-8300.

Group seeks new blankets for drive

BOUNTIFUL — A new blanket can help someone in need. Seniors at Heritage Place Senior Living aim to collect 2,000 new blankets by July 22 for a variety of charities. The blankets range in size from 45” x 45” to double bed size.To donate a new blanket, please bring it to Heritage Place at 1150 S. Main St. during regular business hours.

‘Shred your stuff’ set for this Saturday

LAYTON — America First Credit Union is sponsoring a “Shred Your Stuff” on June 18, 9 a.m. to noon at its Layton Heritage branch, 425 W. heritage Park Boulevard, near the Davis Conference Center. Commercial shredding trucks will be available in the parking lot.