Courtesy Photo­Image Stephanie Gutherless

Bond was lowered Monday for a 28-year-old woman who allegedly gave methamphetamine to a child last year, after she completed drug treatment in jail.

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Stephanie A. Gutherless of North Platte has been in the Lincoln County jail since she was arrested in late-October for allegedly supplying meth to a 15-year-old state ward, who tested positive for the drug.

While in jail, Gutherless was also charged with theft. Investigators said she’d stolen an ATM card from the child’s mother and withdrew at least $500 from the woman’s bank account over a six-month period of time.

Charged with distribution of methamphetamine to a minor and theft, Gutherless faces a maximum of life in prison.

Gutherless privately hired defense attorney Stephen Potter to represent her, but Potter recently withdrew because he said her family stopped paying him.

“That retainer apparently fell through,” District Judge Donald Rowlands said.

In court Monday, appointed public defender Martin Troshynski said the case should be resolved soon. Troshynski said he still needs to speak with a confidential informant before a plea agreement can be considered, but it shouldn’t take much longer.

“There’s an offer on the table,” he told the court.

Troshynski said Gutherless successfully completed outpatient drug treatment at the jail a month ago, and is currently waiting to be admitted to St. Monica’s inpatient facility in Omaha.

Prosecutor Tanya Roberts Connick opposed any bond reduction. She said Gutherless has been permitted to attend the Valley Hope rehabilitation center in O’Neill in the past, but did not go.

Nonetheless, Judge Donald Rowlands reduced Gutherless’ $50,000 bond in half, saying he didn’t think it would make much of a difference.

A status hearing will be held later this month, when Gutherless may plea.

Gutherless has also been charged two other times with theft, in December 2007 and again in January 2009, according to court records. She is a graduate of Mid-Plains Community College with an associate’s degree in dentistry assistance.