By Kim McDarison

A Whitewater man who was charged in July with seven drug-related criminal counts has pleaded not guilty to four counts after the Walworth County district attorney authorized changes to the charges.

According to information on the Wisconsin Circuit Court Access website, Jose Valentin Ostria Hernandez was initially charged with seven drug-related criminal counts, including three Felony E counts of manufacturing and delivery of cocaine in an amount greater than 5-15 grams, with the count further described as “possession with intent to deliver/distribute a controlled substance on or near a school”; one Felony D count of manufacturing or delivery of cocaine, with possession with intent to deliver or distribute a controlled substance on or near a school; one Felony C count of possession with intent, cocaine, further described as possession with intent to deliver/distribute a controlled substance on or near a school; one Felony I count of maintaining a drug trafficking place, and one misdemeanor U count of possession of drug paraphernalia.

On Aug. 18, the defendant, who was in custody, appeared in court before Judge Peter Navis via video conferencing and, through his attorney Kevin Boyle, pleaded not guilty to four charges including: two Felony C counts, one of which is manufacturing and delivering cocaine, with an offense date of Jan. 25, and a second is possession with intent-cocaine, with each count receiving a modifier of “possession with intent to deliver/distribute a controlled substance on or near a school; one Felony I count of maintaining a drug trafficking place, with an offense date of July 13, and one misdemeanor U count of possession of drug paraphernalia, with an offense date of July 13.

According to the court docket, the “charge history” reflects “charges that were issued by the district attorney earlier in the case.” The docket further noted that changes had been recorded, adding: “Changes to charges can be made for many reasons, often based on the district attorney’s ongoing assessment of the case.”

Ostria Hernandez is next scheduled to appear in court for a status conference on Sept. 20.

An earlier story about the case is here: https://whitewaterwise.com/whitewater-man-facing-drug-possession-delivery-charges-to-stand-trial/.