Judge accepts plea agreements in local restaurant burglary case

    Michael Hatz and Bradley Pankonin will face sentencing hearings later in June after plea agreements were accepted in Chase County District Court.
    Hatz and Pankonin, both of Imperial, were charged in January with burglary and theft after their Jan. 28 arrests for breaking into Broadway Steakhouse at 415 Broadway, and allegedly stealing cash.
    In April 27 status hearings for both defendants, District Judge David Urbom accepted plea agreements from both men that reduced the burglary charges.
    Charges of criminal trespass were not reduced for either defendant.
    Hatz and Pankonin both pled guilty or no contest at an April 27 hearing.
    Hatz, 20, was originally charged with two counts of burglary, Class 2A felonies, and one count of theft by unlawful taking, a Class 2 misdemeanor.
    The burglary charges were reduced to two counts of 1st degree criminal trespass, Class 1 misdemeanors. The theft charge remained.
    For Pankonin, also 20, his initial charge of one count of burglary, a class 2A felony, was also reduced to one count of 1st degree criminal trespass. Like Hatz’s case, the theft charge was unchanged.
    Both will be sentenced in Chase County District Court on June 29.
    At arraignment in Chase County Court Feb. 24, Hatz’s original $75,000 bond was reduced to $15,000. He was initially jailed in North Platte, but is currently in the Chase County Jail, said Sheriff Kevin Mueller.
    Pankonin also had an original bond of $75,000, and was jailed in Chase County. County Judge Edward Steenburg released him on his own recognizance Feb. 24.
    According to the arrest warrant, the defendants were allegedly identified via video from Broadway Steakhouse and neighboring businesses the night of Jan. 18 inside the restaurant and also outside.
    A total of $1,355 was reported missing from a restaurant employee on Jan 20.
    Hatz is being represented by Joel Burke. Leslie Nordhausen is representing Pankonin.