A Minot man was given a suspended 10 day jail sentence and 360 days of unsupervised probation on April 13 for violating a disorderly conduct restraining order and violating a judicial order last year.

Thomas Arthur Wentz Jr., 51, entered Alford pleas to the two Class A misdemeanor charges on Friday in district court in Minot. The Alford pleas mean he maintains his innocence but recognizes that he might be found guilty if the cases went to trial.

Judge Anthony Swain Benson dismissed two other Class A misdemeanor charges against Wentz, disobedience of a judicial order and stalking.

Benson also ordered Wentz to stay away from the victim in the cases and to pay fines and court costs.

He had been scheduled to go to trial last week on two of the charges.

Wentz is a Minot lawyer who has served on different boards and has been prominent in the community. Northeast District Court Judge Benson was appointed after other judges in the North Central Judicial District recused themselves.

The misdemeanor charges arose from conflict in Wentz’s divorce case, according to court documents.

Wentz is still set to go to trial on July 10 on a Class A misdemeanor DUI charge dating back to May 4, 2017.

– Andrea Johnson