Kearney man convicted of stalking and assaulting police

KEARNEY, Neb. (KSNB) – A Kearney man accused of threatening Police Chief Bryan Waugh and members of his department has been convicted on two related misdemeanor charges.

Marcus Ditchman, 59, was found guilty Friday of third-degree stalking and third-degree assault. His sentence is scheduled to be announced in December.

Ditchman was originally charged with two counts of misdemeanor stalking, two counts of driving with colored lights turning or flashing, and one count of having no driver’s license. The judge sealed details of the crimes, but charging documents show Ditchman was accused of stalking Waugh and his wife on Sept. 6, 2023, at their north Kearney residence.

Ditchman was also originally charged with making terroristic threats in connection with incident at the Kearney Law Enforcement Center on May 21, 2023. Court records show Ditchman was accused of threatening Kearney police officers by releasing two dogs.

In both cases, prosecutors reduced the charges to misdemeanors in a plea agreement.