Lang (Hunter update)
3/8/21
A local transient has been arrested for the second weekend in a row after refusing to leave Shelter House.
24-year-old Michael Pennell was booked into the Johnson County Jail just after 5am Sunday on charges of Assault on Peace Officers, Interference with Official Acts and Trespassing and faces up to 14 months in jail if convicted.
Arrest reports indicate that Pennell, who has been permanently trespassed from Shelter House, showed up there early Sunday morning and refused to leave. An officer on the scene pleaded with him to leave, but he continued to resist and was placed under arrest.
Pennell allegedly refused to put his hands behind his back and kept trapping the officer’s hand under his arm and squeezing.
Pennell was arrested the evening of February 26th after allegedly forcing his way into an apartment on Broadway Street by breaking the door. He knows the apartment owner, but does not stay there. The owner told Pennell to leave, but he allegedly refused. He also reportedly refused orders to leave from arriving officers, who had to resort to force to get him into handcuffs. He was charged with Trespass Causing Damage Greater Than $300 and Interference with Official Acts. If convicted on those charges, he faces an additional maximum of 13 months in jail.
This past February 8th, Pennell was charged with 5th degree Theft after allegedly going into the Muscatine Avenue Kum & Go, eating food and drinking alcoholic beverages from the beer cooler without having the means to pay for them. He refused to identify himself to arriving officers, and staff estimated that about $115 in merchandise was either eaten, drank or damaged by Pennell.
He’s also due in court for a case management conference on March 19th for 3rd degree burglary charges from December 21st of last year that could see Pennell sentenced to up to five years in prison.