Felony Charge For False Identity

(SCOTTSBLUFF, Neb.) — A woman is scheduled to stand trial next week in Scotts Bluff County District Court following a May incident in which she allegedly gave officers a false identity while hiding in a crawl space.

Marianna R. Garnette, 43, also identified in court records as Marianna Rocio Sanchez, faces one count of criminal impersonation, a Class 4 felony.

According to a probable cause affidavit, officers were dispatched May 27, 2026, to an apartment building at 1406 Second Avenue following reports of a domestic disturbance and a possible physical altercation.

Upon arrival, officers heard yelling inside an apartment, but no one answered the door. Citing safety concerns and a lease provision allowing access for welfare checks, property management for Community Action Partnership of Western Nebraska granted officers permission to enter the unit.

Officers found Garnette hiding in a crawl space. When questioned, she allegedly provided her daughter’s name and birth date. CAPWN management staff at the scene recognized Garnette and alerted officers to her identity.

According to the affidavit, Garnette later admitted to using her daughter’s identity because she believed she had an active arrest warrant in Lincoln. She was arrested and booked into custody. She later posted a $900 bond on June 24.

During a pretrial motion hearing Oct. 5, the court ruled on a state motion concerning witness testimony. A CAPWN management representative was permitted to be added as a witness, but her testimony was limited to her managerial role and property access guidelines. The court prohibited testimony about observations at the scene.

Garnette has pled not guilty. Her jury trial is scheduled to begin at 8:30 a.m. Wednesday, Oct. 14, in Scotts Bluff County District Courtroom 2.