Judge presses Dunback on 'senseless' damage to Falls City windows
Falls City man to serve up to six years in prison
By News Channel Nebraska
FALLS CITY – A man who smashed glass and damaged doors in Falls City’s business district in an apparent retaliation for law enforcement contacts was sentenced Tuesday to up to six years in state prison.
District Judge Julie Smith said she does not understand why 31-year-old Chase Dunback would break glass belonging to 13 different victims at a repair cost of $21,806 last December.
Smith: “It’s really just senseless. I’m not sure what you were doing. I’m not sure why. … it was senseless damage to other people’s property.”
Dunback responded to the judge verbally, perhaps claiming the way he was treated by law enforcement was senseless.
Smith: “Those innocent business owners didn’t have anything to do with that. I understand that people don’t always act out of logic when they’re upset, but you need to be held accountable for these actions.”
She passed a sentence of six months to a year consecutive on each of six counts of criminal mischief. He will be eligible for parole in 18 months minus time served.
He was also sentenced to three years for attempted conspiracy to provide methamphetamine on Dec. 15.
Sheriff’s deputies arrested Dunback after searching a room the Vision Inn. At Tuesday’s hearing, Dunback seemed to say he only brought enough meth to the motel room to give to a person who had bonded out of jail.
Prosecutor Angelo Ligouri said restitution was not part of a plea agreement because the state did not expect to meet its burden to show that the defendant has the ability to pay restitution.
The judge said Dunback’s criminal history goes back to juvenile services.
In the criminal mischief case, Falls City police responded at 12:55 a.m. to a glass break alarm at Dollar Fresh located on Stone Street and noticed broken glass at nearby businesses as well.
At 1:08 a.m., a call came into dispatch that a musician at the Would Eye Bar saw someone breaking glass. Two minutes later, police made contact with Dunback at 17th and Stone.
Damage was reported at Dollar Fresh, Interstate Bank, F&M Bank, Halbert & Dunn, Nussbaum Photography, American National Bank, Frontier Bank and two vehicles at Armbruster Motors.
The following morning additional damage was reported at Falls City Family Practice, Growing Great Kids Daycare and Grand Weaver Hotel.