Pacific County Courthouse, site of superior court hearings.

SOUTH BEND — The following cases were among those handled during Pacific County Superior Court’s criminal docket on Aug. 23:

Kurt E. Kaino, 62 — Two months after pleading guilty to third-degree assault, he was up for formal sentencing. He was involved in a wacky incident on March 2 during which he called 911 on himself for violating a court order and forced an officer’s hand to arrest him.

According to court records, Kaino was facing a standard range with an offender score of 43-57 months in prison with an offender score of eight and instead pleaded through a Mental Health Sentencing Alternative. The alternative means that he will avoid a prison term if he fulfills all stipulations of the alternative.

Judge Heidi Heywood was presiding over the docket and accepted the sentence.

Kaino has multiple previous convictions, including third-degree assault, tampering with a witness and several second-degree malicious mischief charges.

Michael S. Dutchuk, 62 — He was arrested on July 5 after deputies from the Pacific County Sheriff’s Office responded to a domestic violence call in Ocean Park and learned a woman was allegedly being held captive. Responding deputies discovered nails reportedly used to keep a door shut that led upstairs in the residence — to the area where the woman was found.

According to court records, Dutchuk pleaded guilty to unlawful imprisonment through a plea agreement. With an offender score of zero, he faced a standard range of 1-3 months in jail. His deal recommended a sentence of credit for time served — 49 days — that Heywood accepted.

Holli N. Hickman, 40 — She is no stranger to the Pacific County Jail after multiple previous issues. She was facing a charge of escape from community custody. She quickly pleaded guilty through a plea agreement and, with an offender score of zero, faced a standard range of 0-90 days in jail.

The deal recommended that she be sentenced to the top end and that the sentence run concurrent with another case in which she is serving time. Heywood accepted the plea and sentence recommendation.

Samantha Hess (Vineyard-Howard), 31 — Her trial, scheduled to begin on Sept. 10, was rescheduled to start on Oct. 28. Hess is accused of selling narcotics to a Raymond man who subsequently died of an overdose on March 21, 2023.