The Garfield County Courthouse was marked by significant developments on Thursday, as the court dealt with cases that have captured the community’s attention. The proceedings for Lonnie Nielsen, Janvier Pinkard and Anthony Toovey highlighted the numerous cases that came before Ninth Judicial District Judges John Neiley and Denise Lynch. 

Lonnie Nielsen

The case against Lonnie Nielsen took a decisive turn on Thursday when he entered into a comprehensive plea deal. Nielsen was arrested for a violent attack on a jogger with a crowbar and faced multiple charges stemming from this incident and other criminal activities, as well as a violation of parole due to drug charges.

The jogger is a Garfield County Corrections security officer who worked closely with Nielsen. Nielsen previously served 20 years for murder and was out on parole.

On Thursday, Nielsen agreed to a plea deal encompassing:

• Controlled substance possession greater than 4 grams (Class IV Felony) related to an earlier offense of methamphetamine possession while on parole.
• Second-degree assault causing injury with a deadly weapon (Class IV Felony), for the crowbar attack 
• Menacing with a real or simulated weapon (Class V Felony), underscoring the threat posed to the victim during the assault.

These guilty pleas are part of a broader agreement that takes into account Nielsen’s previous criminal history, including a 20 year prison sentence for murder and his status as a parolee in El Paso County at the time of his latest offenses. The plea arrangement suggests a potential sentencing range of 12-24 years, reflecting the severity of the crimes and Nielsen’s criminal background.

Nielsen is scheduled to return to court on March 14 for sentencing, a date that will likely conclude a case that District Attorney Alexander Haynes said has “resonated deeply with the community for more than a year now.” 

Janvier Pinkard

Janvier Pinkard  faced the court on Thursday regarding his December 2020 incident. Accused of forcibly entering a residence with a handgun, Pinkard had alleged a foster family harbored child pornography of his daughter, a claim made without evidence. No severe injuries were reported during the incident.

In December 2022, Pinkard pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity, facing charges including menacing, first-degree burglary and felon in possession of a weapon. His time in custody has been marked by self-harm and a hunger strike, raising concerns about his mental health

During a Sept. 7 hearing, Pinkard opted to represent himself, a decision that his family members objected to, though the objection was ultimately denied by Ninth Judicial District Court Judge Denise Lynch. Pinkard has since received representation.

Despite being deemed competent by the Colorado Mental Health Institute of Pueblo, the court awaits competency restoration.

On Thursday, Ninth Judicial District Attorney Ben Sollars highlighted Pinkard’s former action of pleading the Fifth.

“At the time of Mr. Pinkard’s sanity and mental condition evaluation, he was competent,” Sollars said, while also highlighting the lack of cooperation that Pinkard has had with mental health officials. “Experts were not able to come to an opinion regarding Mr. Pinkards sanity, because of a lack of cooperation. This isn’t a scenario where Mr. Pinkard was somewhat of a curmudgeon, or somewhat unwilling to give details but still gave enough details that allowed the expert to form an opinion. That would be slight cooperation.”

During Thursday’s hearing, Pinkard said that he believes he should not be the one in question.

“I would like you to know that I most certainly cooperated,” Pinkard said. “I only had to plead the Fifth because I can’t plead guilty to something that didn’t happen or I didn’t do. I believe now with the council that I have, that I can get the proof that my child was sexually abused.”

Pinkard will return in front of Judge Lynch on March 7 for jury trial.

Anthony Toovey

Anthony Toovey also appeared in court Thursday facing charges linked to the seizure of approximately 1,300 fentanyl pills, 45 grams of methamphetamine and $2,000 in cash in June. The arrest was the result of an investigation conducted by the Garfield County Special Problem Enforcement and Response Task Force (SPEAR).

On Thursday, Toovey was praised by Neiley for his efforts to enter rehabilitation. Following his completion of the Circle Program in October, Thursday’s hearing highlighted Toovey’s efforts to seek further treatment at the Crossroads Inpatient Rehabilitation Program, a long term men’s program located in Denver.

Toovey is scheduled for a return to court on March 28.