Colver still in jail

Thomas Colver, convicted on three drug charges last week, was sent to jail Monday because he couldn’t locate a bondsman.

But officials say Colver, 19, expects to be released from jail soon while he awaits yet another trial, this one on charges of armed robbery.

Colver was convicted by a jury on July 27 of possession of marijuana and hallucinogenic mushrooms, and of intending to distribute the mushrooms.

He is to be sentenced on Sept. 11 on the drug charges, the day before his second trial is set to begin on charges that he and another local teen robbed the Aspen Alps condominium office at gunpoint on Aug. 6, 1999.

At the end of Colver’s drug trial last week, prosecutor Lawson Wills asked Judge J.E. DeVilbiss to revoke Colver’s “personal recognizance” bond. He wanted Colver either sent to jail while awaiting sentencing or forced to put a sizable amount of money down to stay out of jail.

But the judge declined, noting that Colver’s bond on the armed robbery charge is $50,000. The judge instead agreed to wait until Monday to see if the bondsman, Boyd Canterbury, would agree to remain on both the current bonds for a while longer.

But Colver told DeVilbiss Monday that he was unable to locate Canterbury.

“I don’t want to seem cynical, Mr. Colver,” replied the judge, “but bondsmen are the most reachable of people.”

He order the bond revoked and set a new bond at $25,000, and Colver was taken to jail.