News Photo by Reagan Voetberg Attorney Rick Steiger shakes John Prano’s hand at the 26th Circuit Court in Alpena on Monday.

ALPENA — A number of defendants appeared in court Monday for motion day at the 26th Circuit Court in Alpena, with Judge Ed Black presiding.

Dylan Taylor, 29, entered a plea deal. Taylor was charged with computers-internet communicating with another to commit a crime and accosting a child for immoral purposes, and pleaded guilty to the second charge. The first charge for internet communication was dismissed. Taylor also has to register as a tier two sex offender and will be required to register for life.

In establishing a factual basis for the offense, Taylor acknowledged under oath that he accosted a person via an internet service who he believed to be a 14-year-old girl. He sent nude pictures of himself and asked for nude pictures back. He also requested to travel to her location to have sex with her. The interaction was a sting operation, and the person Taylor had been messaging was not a 14-year-old. Taylor will be sentenced on Nov. 3 at 9:30 a.m.

Dustin Haske, 34, charged with six counts of criminal sexual conduct first degree, had a status conference. His defense counsel, Attorney Nicole Blank Becker, discussed needing more time to review the discovery before taking any other actions on the case. Haske will next be in court on Oct. 20 at 8:30 a.m. for a status conference.

John Prano, 34, appeared in court for a status conference. Prano is charged with four counts of first degree criminal sexual conduct and one count of second degree criminal sexual conduct, all listed as being committed against a child under 13. His next hearing will be on Oct. 6 before he goes to jury trial on Oct. 23.

Anthony Stokes, 52, was sentenced for one count of domestic violence to one year in jail and two years of non-reporting probation, meaning that Stokes will not have to report to a probation officer regularly during his probation period. He was also ordered to have no contact with the victim during those two years.

Stokes has had a history of domestic violence since at least 2016, Judge Black said, and he would have sentenced him to a longer term, but had to follow the law, which allows a maximum term of one year for a second offense domestic violence charge.

Brandon Hall, 33, appeared in court for a status conference. The prosecution filed a motion for joinder, and no objections were made by the defense. A motion for joinder would combine Hall’s five files into one. Judge Black ordered the joinder. Other topics, including the list of witnesses, were discussed at length by the two parties in preparation for trial which is scheduled for Oct. 8.

Hall is charged with multiple stalking charges, malicious use of telecommunication services, and using a computer to communicate with another to commit a crime, as well as charges for home invasion, assault or assault and battery, and possession of methamphetamine/ecstasy.

Reagan Voetberg can be reached at 989-358-5683 or rvoetberg@TheAlpenaNews.com.