NEBRASKA CITY – John Saum, 43, of Union will spend time in Otoe County jail for attempting to drug the drinks of two women at a downtown Nebraska City bar.

District Judge Julie Smith sentenced him to a year in jail.

Smith: “The court can’t think of a single honorable reason that you would place  Clonazepam in the drinks of the young ladies at the bar that night. There is no way for me to know specifically what your intentions were, but I can’t imagine that is was anything good.”

Saum’s attorney Chad Wythers said the events that night were uncharacteristic of Saum and did not reflect his moral upbringing.

Wythers: “He understands it’s a serious event. For the life of him, he can’t rationalize or explain his behavior that night … It was literally, for a man who is in his mid-40s, the worst night of his life.”

After leaving Nebraska City, Saum was involved in a traffic accident on Highway 75. He left the scene and later dialed 911 from a county road saying he had run out of gas. Judge Smith earlier sentenced him to probation on that case.

  by Dan Swanson

 

Otoe County Attorney Jennifer Panko-Rahe said Friday it was very disturbing set of events.

Panko-Rahe: “The victims in this case have all indicated how dramatically their lives have been changed as a result of these events … Mr. Saum apparently had no regard for anybody else’s feelings, their thoughts of safety. We’ve got women here who have lived in this area and have always felt safe in their Nebraska City community.”

Saum apologized for destroying the happiness and trust of others, as well as his own inner peace.

Saum: “After my father’s passing and finalizing what I could with his estate, I was in a bad spot. The upcoming holiday season added additional stress and led me to take those pills that evening. Not being one who takes pills, I erred in my judgment and mixed them with beer, which set the wheels in motion for my demise.”

The defense asked for sentencing after a plea was entered, but the judge insisted on seeing victim impact statements.

Smith: “The fact that you were intoxicated and that you were taking pills yourself, that you shouldn’t have been taking, is not a defense and it’s not a justification.”

The judge said with good time Saum would spend 190 days in jail. She allowed him to turn himself in later so he would have time to apply for work release before the start of his incarceration.