Homicide witness enters not guilty pleas to drug, weapon charges

The witness in a Sidney homicide last month has entered not guilty pleas in Cheyenne County District Court this morning on drug and weapons charges. 56 year old year old Leland Blake of Sidney is charged with two felony counts of delivery of vicodin, a class two felony and possession of a firearm by a felon, a class ID felony. A trial date will be set at a September 5th status hearing

Blake is accused of selling the vicodin pills twice to an undercover police officer in July. The court document says Police officers were alerted of possible drug activity at Blake's home by a citizen who said there was a lot of "stop and go" traffic at Blake's house and claimed he sold marijuana and vicodin at the residence.

Court documents say Blake witnessed the shooting death of his friend, 30 year old Mandy Kerschman of Sidney, at his home. 53 year old Larry Martinez of Sidney is accused of entering Blake's home after Kerschman let him in and fatally shooting the woman over a text she sent that made the suspect mad earlier in the day.

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