Published: July 08, 2008 08:17 pm         

Brothers enter pleas on same day in meth, burglary cases

Two Crab Orchard brothers charged in unrelated crimes appeared in Cumberland County Criminal Court last month and pleaded guilty to respective charges with one receiving a prison sentence and the other a suspended sentence.

Daniel Paul Sherrill was charged with aggravated burglary, theft more than $1,000 and vandalism less than $1,000, and pleaded guilty to theft more than $1,000 and received a three-year suspended sentence to be served on probation. He has a pending case in Roane County.

Sherrill was accused of breaking into a Henderson residence in March of 2007 and taking several items including a four-wheeler. A co-defendant has already pleaded guilty and is serving a two-year sentence.

Kenneth Leslie Sherrill, 34, was charged with promotion of the manufacture of methamphetamine and pleaded guilty to the charge, receiving a two-year sentence to be served concurrently with a three-year sentence the defendant is already serving. He was arrested on March 6 of this year when officers visited a Crab Orchard residence and found contraband associated with the making of meth in the residence.

In other cases, the following pleas were entered.

•Rhonda Nicole Howard, 21, charged with aggravated burglary and theft more than $1,000, pleaded guilty to theft more than $1,000 and received a two-year suspended sentence to be served on probation and is jointly and individually responsible for $800 in restitution along with her co-defendant. The burglary charge was dropped.

•Jerica R. Layne, 19, charged with ten counts of fraudulent use of a credit card, pleaded guilty to five counts and received an 11-month and 29-day suspended sentence to be served on probation and is to pay $100 in restitution and court costs. Sentence is consecutive to a General Sessions Court sentence. Remaining charges were dropped.

•Rachel L. Lecureux, 27, charged with child abuse/neglect, pleaded guilty to child abuse/neglect, a Class D felony, and received a two-year suspended sentence to be served under Judicial Diversion terms. She is to continue cooperation with the Department of Children's Services including applying parenting skills training in the home, and is placed on probation for two years. Violation of conditions means the diversion will be revoked and she will face serving a two-year sentence.

•Alfred Leon Wilson, 46, charged with aggravated kidnapping, attempted rape and attempted sexual battery, pleaded guilty to attempted kidnapping and received a two-year suspended sentence with 145 days to serve and the remainder on probation. Remaining charges were dismissed. Victim in the case was a hitchhiker from South Carolina who was picked up on I-40 and taken to a Pomona Rd. residence where the assault took place.

•Micah Lee Brown, 19, charged with burglary and vandalism more than $500, pleaded guilty to attempted burglary and received a two-year suspended sentence with the defendant being placed on probation on condition of attendance and completion of the Teen Challenge program. The defendant and co-defendant are liable for $807.65 restitution jointly and individually. Second count will be dismissed.