STEUBENVILLE, Ohio — An Ohio couple has pleaded guilty after admitting to breaking into a downtown residence in February and assaulting the homeowner and his wife.
According to the Herald-Star, Kenny Emerson Shepard and his wife, Stacey Lynn Shepard, both of Hopedale, pleaded guilty to aggravated assault. The amended indictment is a lesser charge than the aggravated burglary they’d originally been charged with, and charges of complicity and assault were nullified in exchange for guilty pleas.
It is reported that the two climbed through an unlocked window at a downtown residence because they wanted the homeowners to return money that was borrowed. It is alleged that Kenny Shepard punched the homeowner, and Stacey Shepard punched the homeowner’s wife and then stole her cell phone and food stamp card.
Herald-Star reporters say that because of prior convictions, Kenny Shepard was sentenced to 1 year in prison with credit for the 268 days served. Judge Joseph Bruzzese denied Shepard’s attorney’s request to finish his time in county jail.
Stacey Shepard has no priors and was sentenced to two years probation and a job requirement. Still, according to Herald-Star, she has to remain in Jefferson County Jail, where she’s being held on another aggravated burglary indictment.
It is alleged that a week before the incident with her husband, Stacy Shepard dragged a woman out of her home by her hair and punched her in the presence of the alleged victim’s child.
