LYONS — A Claflin man was ordered to pay restitution on amended theft charges as a result of a plea agreement entered Dec. 1 in Rice County District Court in Lyons.

Court records noted that Michael La Roy Urban, Claflin, entered a plea of “no contest” to four amended charges in connection with an incident on or about June 13 in Rice County.

On July 2, Barton County Sheriff’s officers arrested Urban without incident on a felony count of criminal damage to a critical infrastructure facility and three counts of misdemeanor theft of items valued less than $1,500. A critical infrastructure facility is defined by state statute as facilities, support structures and equipment used for wire or wireless telecommunications in the state.

Urban, represented by Hutchinson defense counsel Nicholas L. Oswald, waved a preliminary hearing at his first appearance on July 15 before 20th District Judge Richard E. Burgess and entered a plea of not guilty to the original charges. 

As a result of a plea agreement with Rice County Attorney Remington S. Dalke, Urban entered no contest pleas to the amended charges and received a suspended sentence and one-year probation.

In addition, Judge Burgess ordered that Urban pay restitution in the amount of $1,199.67 to Northern Natural Gas Company of Omaha, Neb., along with $45 in processing and $158 in court costs, with a probation supervision fee of $60.

Urban served as Mayor of Claflin since election in 2011, last elected to a fourth term in 2023. He was a member of the city council since 2009. Urban’s resignation as mayor was accepted by the Claflin City Council at its Sept. 8 meeting.