Stangeland and Wadel appear in court

Douglas Stangeland, of Nevada, and Andrew Wadel, of Rich Hill, made appearances in a Vernon County courtroom on Thursday, March 11, in connection with an alleged November 2009 home invasion at the rural Vernon County home of Charles Scammell.

Stangeland waived his right to a preliminary hearing and was bound over for arraignment in the Circuit Court of Vernon County. He and his attorney, Tracey Martin, of Joplin, Mo., are scheduled to appear in front of Judge James R. Bickel on April 20.

Wadel's preliminary hearing has been reset to March 22. Court documents show Wadel to be represented by the court appointed public defender Joseph G. Zuzul. Stangeland and Wadel are both being held in the Vernon County jail with no bond.

Both men were arrested in Lake Ozark, Mo., on Jan. 9, during the botched kidnapping of New Jersey Pet food dealer Jeffrey Muller.

Lonnie Swarnes, of Rich Hill, was also arrested at that time. Swarnes, who waived extradition, was transported from the Miller County, Mo., jail and is currently being held in the Sussex County, N.J., jail.

Represented by court appointed attorney David Nufrio, Swarnes entered a plea of not guilty in a New Jersey court and is being held on a $750,000 cash only bond.

William Barger of Nevada, also arrested during the kidnapping investigation, is charged with multiple felony counts stemming from the Scammell home invasion.

Barger appeared in a Vernon County court on Feb. 18, but as of press time, no entry of appearance has been made on his behalf by any attorney, according to the Vernon County prosecutor's office. Barger's next court appearance, a preliminary hearing, is set for March 25, 2010. Barger is being held with no bond in the Vernon County jail.

Roy Slates, the last Nevada man charged in connection with the alleged kidnapping and home invasion was released on a $5,000 bond in early February and was arraigned in the Circuit Court of Vernon County on Feb. 22.

Court documents show the law firm of Dee Wampler & Joseph Passanise as Slates' attorney at this time. Slates' next scheduled court appearance is a March 25 pretrial hearing. Slates remains free on bond.