Jesse Durflinger Reaches Plea Agreement

Jesse Durflinger, 31, of Alexandria, appeared in Jefferson County Court on Wednesday, March 2, 2022. Linda Bauer was the presiding judge. Durflinger's attorney, Public Defender Scott Gropp, advised the court his client had reached a plea agreement with the state. The defendant was originally charged with operating a motor vehicle to avoid arrest, a class 1 misdemeanor punishable by up to one year in jail and a $1,000 fine; first offense willful reckless driving, a class 3 misdemeanor punishable by three months in jail and a $500 fine; and second offense driving under a revoked license, a class 2 misdemeanor punishable by six months in jail and a $1,000 fine, plus Durflinger's driver's license could be suspected for an additional two years. In accordance with the plea agreement, Durflinger pleaded no contest to operating a motor vehicle to avoid arrest. The remaining charges would be dismissed by the state, pending completion of the agreement. Sunday morning, November 14, at 11:36 a.m., a deputy with the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office was on patrol on North H Street in Fairbury and observed a blue Chevy S10 pickup approaching his location. According to a press release, “As the pickup passed the deputy, he observed a male driver and as he passed, he attempted to cover his identity by covering his face.” Despite allegedly attempting to conceal his identity, the deputy recognized the driver from previous contacts as Durflinger. The deputy believed that Durflinger's driver's license had been revoked. The deputy followed the pickup southbound on H Street and conducted a traffic stop with Durflinger after confirming that Durflinger did in fact have a revoked driver’s license. Durflinger stopped at the corner of 10th and H Street in Fairbury. The press release states, “As the deputy approached the driver’s side door to contact the driver, the vehicle rapidly accelerated and took off. The deputy initiated a pursuit with the vehicle. Durflinger traveled west on 10th Street to West Street, then turned north on West Street for a block then traveled north on Oak to Hwy 136. Durflinger went west on Hwy 136 to River Road and went north out of town on River Road. Deputies pursued Durflinger on county roads and ended up at 408 Taylor Street in Alexandria, Nebraska, which was Durflinger’s residence. Durflinger ran into the residence and barricaded himself in his bedroom.” Deputies entered the residence and soon took Durflinger into custody. The suspect was then transported to the Jefferson County Jail. Durflinger was later released on a $5,000 (10 percent) bond. Judge Bauer issued an arrest warrant for Durflinger after he failed to appear as scheduled in Jefferson County Court on Wednesday, December 8.Judge Bauer ordered a PSI (Pre-Sentencing Investigation). The judge told Durflinger to contact the probation office, “You've been through this process before. Durflinger said, “Unfortunately.” Prior Arrests This is not Durflinger's first run in with the law or his first warrant. Earlier this year, he was scheduled to attend a hearing in Jefferson County District Court on Thursday, January 7, but failed to appear. Vicky Johnson, the presiding judge, issued a warrant for his arrest. Durflinger was charged with six counts: possession of a controlled substance, a class 4 felony; operating a motor vehicle to avoid arrest, a class 4 felony; driving with a revoked license, a class 2 misdemeanor; willful reckless driving-first offense, a class 3 misdemeanor; possession of drug paraphernalia, an infraction; and speeding, an infraction. On March 14, 2020, Durflinger was stopped by the Nebraska State Patrol. According to the Affidavit of Probable Cause for Arrest, the trooper had observed the vehicle traveling at a high rate of speed and activated radar. He clocked the vehicle at 92-93 miles per hour. The vehicle turned off onto County Road 561 Avenue. The trooper activated lights and sirens. The vehicle continued at a high rate of speed. The driver stopped at a stop sign at 711 Road and was arrested at that time. An inventory of the vehicle's contents was conducted. Found were two 20 mg pills of dextroamphetamine-amphetamine (aka amphetamine salts), a glass pipe with marijuana in the bowl, two jars with marijuana residue inside, a bag with marijuana inside and a metal key chain container with marijuana seed inside. This is according to the same affidavit. Durflinger accepted a plea agreement and was sentenced to 90 days incarceration. The suspect has other convictions in Nebraska as well. In 2018, he was convicted of third degree assault and leaving the scene of an injury accident, both in Jefferson County, and assault of a health care worker in Thayer County. He was sentenced to two year in the Nebraska Department of Corrections. In 2019, he was convicted of possession of methamphetamine in Thayer County and sentenced to 18 months.

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