SALINE CO.— A poster child case for what’s wrong with the county’s prosecutor’s office features a woman who is awaiting trial in at least four felony cases and is now charged in a fifth.
According to the formal charge filed in the county’s circuit clerk’s office, Kari Jo Sperling, 31, of the 1000 block of South Feazel St., Harrisburg, committed the offense of Unlawful Possession of a Controlled Substance, identified as clonazepam, after authorities say she was found to have an amount of the drug on her person.
Sperling’s criminal history includes an arrest August 21, 2011 during which she was charged with Unlawful Possession of a Controlled Substance, Driving Under the Influence of Drugs, Unlawful Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, Unlawful Possession of Cannabis, Driving 15-20 mph Above the Posted Limit.
She pled guilty May 23, 2012 in return for the remainder of the charges being dismissed and a sentence to probation for 24 months and ordered to pay $4,363.59 in fines and fees.
A conviction July 5, 2016 earned her a sentence to probation for another 30 months and cost her another $5,703.02 in fines and fees, of which she still owes $3,532.02.
At the time of her most recent arrest Sperling was awaiting trial in multiple cases including an October 19, 2016 case in which she was charged with Aggravated Battery of a Victim Over 60+ and Domestic Battery Causing Bodily Harm.
She is also awaiting trial in a June 7, 2017 case in which she faces charges of Unlawful Possession of Methamphetamine, Unlawful Possession of Drug Paraphernalia and three counts of Unlawful Possession of a Controlled Substance.
In a July 26, 2017 drug case she is charged with two counts of Unlawful Possession of a Controlled Substance and is awaiting trial.
She is awaiting trial in an April 19, 2018 case in which she is charged with Unlawful Possession of Methamphetamine.
She is also awaiting trial in a fifth case from June 6, 2018, in which is charged with Domestic Battery.
On her affidavit of assets and liabilities she listed herself as a married mother of two.
Under employment she claimed she was starting work for Bob Holmes, ‘city of Harrisburg.’
Whether or not Sperling will ever find her way into a courtroom remains to be seen.
Cash bond in the case was set $1,000.