HUTCHINSON, Kan. – A 28-year-old Hutchinson man who was arraigned last week for charges of selling drugs twice to confidential informants is on trial this week for one of his many cases.
What would normally be a misdemeanor offense for stealing from a local retailer is a felony in this case against Matthew Gulick because two or more prior theft convictions.
He is accused in this case of going into Kmart at 30th & Lorraine and stealing items on July 28, 2013. The trial is in front of Judge Tim Chambers.
In the more serious case, the state amended the complaint against Gulick combining the charges from two cases into one complaint. He faces trial on charges of racketeering, two counts for the sale of methamphetamine, two counts of using a communications device for making a drug transaction, no tax stamp, three counts of making false information and three counts of possession of stolen property.
In the first case, he allegedly sold less than a half gram and in the second, it was just over two grams. The state also presented evidence of other crimes including making false writing involving three pawn tickets and also being in possession of stolen property on three occasions. Those crimes occurred in October and November of last year.
Gulick also has two other less serious cases that await trial with one of the charges being aggravated intimidation of a witness.
He remains jailed on a bond of $97,000.