14 charges dropped

A Green River man who faced eight felony charges and nine misdemeanor charges had all but three of those charges dismissed.

Joseph Daniel Kunkle, 30, recently appeared in the Third District Court of Judge Richard Lavery at a change of plea and sentencing hearing to all 17 charges. The felony charges were strangulation of a household member; three counts of battery against a household member, third offense; two counts of child abuse; stalking and third-degree sexual assault. The misdemeanor charges are unlawful contact without bodily injury, interference with emergency calls, carrying or displaying driver’s license, driving without ignition interlock device, violation of protection, property destruction and defacement, two counts of possession of a controlled substance and driving while license cancelled, suspended or revoked.

In exchange for Kunkle’s guilty plea on three misdemeanor charges, violation of a protection order and two counts of possession of a controlled substance, all the other charges were dismissed.

On the violation of a protection order charge, Kunkle was given a 180-day jail sentenced with credit given for 180 days served. On the possession of a controlled substance (marijuana) charge he received a 365-day jail sentence with all but 185 days suspended, with credit given for 185 served, which will run consecutive with the 365-day jail sentence with all but 185 days suspended, with credit given for 185 days served for the possession of a controlled substance (methamphetamine) charge. He will be placed on two years unsupervised probation.

According to court documents, on March 29, 2014, a couple of Green River Police officers responded to a call about a possible domestic violence incident involving Kunkle.

On June 6, 2014, a protection order was placed against Kunkle. One of the stipulations of that order was that Kunkle have not contact directly or indirectly with his former girlfriend Erica Hill.

On July 1, 2014, Hill showed police that Kunkle had texted her more than 50 times and called numerous times between June 21, 2014, and June 25, 2014.

Hill bought a new phone and got a new phone number, but since Kunkle knew the serial number on the account he was able to view all of her text messages and sent her more texts with foul language. Kunkle also threatened to blackmail Hill with a photo; and was driving by Hill’s residence numerous times.

On July 26, 2014, Kunkle was pulled over by an officer who knew Kunkle had a warrant for his arrest. After pulling Kunkle over, he found 2 grams of a green, leafy substance, later identified as marijuana, and one and one eights of a gram of a white crystal-like substance, later identified at methamphetamine.