The Sidney Sun-Telegraph - Serving proudly since 1873 as the beautiful Nebraska Panhandle's first newspaper

James L. Daily, 37, pleaded not guilty to felony charges Wednesday in Cheyenne County District Court.

Daily is charged with terroristic threats, a Class 3A felony, and using a firearm to commit a felony, itself a Class 1C felony.

If found guilty of the latter charge, Daily faces a minimum five years and would not be eligible for probation during that time.

The alleged acts took place on March 14.

According to a Sidney Police Department affidavit, the SPD responded to a report that Daily had discharged a gun inside his residence at his sister.

The previous night, Daily had had a fight with the building’s owner, Robert Rocha. Early the following morning, Daily “discharged a firearm multiple times inside the residence” and announced he was going to kill Rocha.

Daily was apprehended in front of his house and later arrested. Daily denied having fired a weapon in his residence, and said he did not shoot at his ceiling or at his sister.

A search warrant executed by the Cheyenne County Sheriff’s Office found a spent 12-gauge round and “a stereo that had been destroyed by what appeared to be a shotgun blast.”

A hole was found in a wall that “appeared to be caused by a small caliber bullet.” The bullet had gone through it and “appeared to have entered a mattress across the room.” The bullet fired was recovered in a box behind the mattress. A spent .32 caliber casing was also located.

Daily is next scheduled to appear in court May 3 at 10 a.m.