Archived Court Cases No. 8

Lexington, KY.    Gerrard Stepp had an early morning argument with his wife. After arguing, she went to sleep. She was then awakened by Stepp repeatedly hitting her in the head with a hammer. The victim managed to escape and get help. She then went to the hospital where she spent the next 6 days being treated for her head injuries.

Police went to Stepp’s home where he was found covered in blood. Police discovered that Stepp had cut his wrists. He told officers to let him die. Stepp was taken to the hospital and treated for his self-inflicted injuries.

Stepp pled guilty to Assault Second Degree and was sentenced to 5 years in prison.

Lexington, KY.    In 1998, Cecil Allen Martin pled guilty to Non-Support and was sentenced to 12 months, probated for 2 years.  According to the terms of probation, Martin was required to report to his probation officer and pay $45.37 a week in child support.  In January of 1999, Martin's probation officer asked the Court to revoke his probation because he had failed to report and had not paid any child support since October, 1998.  Martin's probation was revoked but he was re-probated for another two years.

In December, 1999, Martin again violated his probation by failing  to notify his probation officer of an address change.  Then in January, 2000, he was arrested in Jessamine County in addition to having a summons for violating a Domestic Violence Order.  In August, 2000, Martin's probation was revoked, and he was probated yet again for two more years.

In November of 2000 Martin again violated the terms of his probation by pleading guilty to Wanton Endangerment 2nd degree, Fleeing or Evading Police, and Driving Under the Influence.  He also has other pending charges in Madison County.  Martin's probation was revoked for the third time, but, this time, he was finally ordered to serve his 12 months in jail.

Later it was determined that while the men were inside the house, they took a 9 mm loaded and cocked gun.  Paulin cut himself on the broken glass on the way into the house and his blood was found on the stolen gun.

Paulin plead guilty to Burglary 1st and was sentenced to 10 years in prison.  A Fayette County Jury convicted Herrera-Cortez of Burglary 2nd and he was sentenced to 5 years.  However, Herrera-Cortez's sentence was conditionally discharged upon his release to Immigration & Naturalization Services (INS).

Elmore was charged with Assault 2^nd degree and Wanton Endangerment. He pled guilty and was sent to prison for 7 years. Elmore had a prior DUI conviction in 1992.

Lexington, KY.    Based on information from a parole officer, Lexington police were alerted to the fact that Mattie Sue Gilbert was using the identification of her dead cousin.  Gilbert had obtained a driver's license in her cousin's name and, in addition, she was receiving food stamps from the government.

Gilbert entered a plea of guilty and was sentenced to 10 years for Criminal Possession of a Forged Instrument and being a Persistent Felon.  She was probated by the judge but is currently serving federal time in prison for a similar charge.

Lexington, KY.    An employee of Bluegrass Tire Company responded to an after-hours alarm at the business and found Millard Kelly hiding under a vehicle inside the building. Kelly, 42, told the police he was drunk and broke into the building to "sleep it off." However, Kelly had moved a large tool box to the door before he was discovered.

Kelly was arrested and charged with Burglary. He was granted a third-party release but he failed to appear at his trial. The person who signed for Kelly’s release was held in contempt of court and served 10 days in jail. A warrant was issued for Kelly’s arrest and he was eventually arrested. He was then charged with Bail Jumping.

Kelly pled guilty to Burglary and Bail Jumping. He was sentenced to 1 year on each charge for a total of 2 years.

Scarbrough’s criminal history reveals a felony conviction for Flagrant Non-Support and misdemeanor convictions for Alcohol Intoxication, DUI, and Leaving the Scene of an Accident. The Judge followed the jury's recommendation and sentenced Scarbrough to 10 years in prison.

Binder recruited and organized a group of young people from the Detroit, Michigan area to come to Lexington to sell crack cocaine.  Once recruited, the juveniles would come to Lexington where Binder would set them up in "crack" houses.  The juveniles would then sell crack cocaine out of these houses.  Binder agreed to pay the juveniles approximately $1,000.00 a week for their work.

Aswad Lowery, Ernest Snead (Binder's brother), and Anthony White would supply the juveniles with drugs.  These men would deliver the drugs to the drug houses and pick up the drug money.  The men would then deliver the drug money to a safe-house on Press Avenue. 

The initial arrests yielded over 25 grams of crack cocaine.  All adult members of this drug ring have been convicted for their participation in the trafficking activity.

Lexington, KY.  

Adrus was sentenced to a total of 5 years to serve in prison.

Trent fled the home upon hearing sirens.  Police officers chased her for several blocks.  The officers sprayed Trent with pepper spray but this had no effect on her.  She attacked the officers with her knife during the chase.  Finally, she was apprehended while trying to break into another home.

Trent later stated she had been taking drugs that night and she believed that she was being "chased by the devil." 

Trent's criminal record includes 19 previous criminal convictions and 10 probated sentences.  She was on probation in Fayette and Scott Counties at the time of her arrest.  Trent plead guilty to Assault, Criminal Trespass, Resisting Arrest and to being a Persistent Felony Offender.  Trent was finally sentenced to serve 5 years in prison.

Stewart failed to comply with the terms of his probation, primarily drug treatment. He was placed in the Drug Court program. However, he was unable to complete this program as well. His sentenced was finally revoked and he was sent to prison to serve out his time.

Lexington, KY.  

Detectives conducted a phone sting and taped a conversation between the victim and King, who admitted to the relationship. In a subsequent interview, King again admitted to the sexual contact with the victim and told the detectives that she had instigated most of it, and although he knew it was wrong he was "just a man". King was arrested and charged with Incest.

King’s attorneys challenged the statute under which he was charged, arguing that since the victim had reached the age of consent, there was no legitimate reason for the state to prevent sexual intercourse between the two of them. The Court sided with the Commonwealth’s argument that the statute exists to protect the special relationships within families regardless of the ages of those involved.

King pled guilty to the charge and was sentenced to 5 years in the penitentiary.

Lexington, KY.   Bouncers at a local nightclub escorted two men off of the premises when they were found in the same stall in the restroom. One of the men managed to run away, but the other man became involved in an altercation with the club’s security. Security officers found traces of cocaine in the man’s mustache and just under a gram of powder cocaine in a baggie the man had attempted to conceal in his hand.

Responding officers identified the man as Shawn Wofford, 28. Wofford complained of chest pains and was transported to the UK Medical Center. He was found to have minor contusions, a blood alcohol level of .087, and a positive drug screen for cocaine. He was arrested and charged with Possession of a Controlled Substance.

Wofford pled guilty to Possession of a Controlled Substance and to being a Persistent Felony Offender in the Second Degree. He was sentenced to 5 years, but probated for 5 years.

Lexington, KY.   A midnight shift cashier at the Kroger store in the Regency Plaza notified police of a suspicious customer on the premises. A patrol officer responded and found Roger Smith, 29, who had written several checks in the store.  At first, Smith lied about his identity to the officer. However, when the police contacted the person on whose account the checks had been written, she came to the store and identified the customer as her stepfather.

Smith pled guilty to Criminal Possession of a Forged Instrument, Providing a False Name to Police, and being a Persistent Felony Offender. The Court sentenced him to 5 years, but probated him for 5 years. Smith was instructed by the Court to complete the Fayette County Drug Court program and to pay $585 in restitution.

Lexington, KY.   Danny T. Johnson, 43, approached an elderly homeowner and convinced her that her house was in need of repairs. He also proposed to do the work himself. He returned the next day with some tools and an unidentified co-worker. The men proceeded to pound some nails into the roof and remove the television antenna. The men then presented the homeowner, a widow over 70 years old, with a bill for $450. At the defendant’s urging, she signed a check for that amount and the men left. The check was later cashed by Johnson in the amount of $1,450.

Johnson’s criminal history reveals a felony conviction for Bail Jumping. He also has misdemeanors for Menacing, Harassment, DUI and Disorderly Conduct.

Johnson pled guilty to charges of Theft By Deception and Persistent Felony Offender and was sent to prison for 5 years.

Lexington, KY.   Lexington police officers made a stop on a vehicle that was displaying an altered temporary license plate.  The tag, which was expired, had been altered by changing the numbers on its face.  Police questioned the driver, who claimed to have forgotten his license and had only a citation from the Versailles Police Department as identification.

The driver was arrested for operating without insurance or a license in addition to the falsified tag.  When the vehicle was searched, a variety of driver licenses, state ID cards, social security cards, and other documentation with the driver's picture and the names of Johnny Lee Bryant, Charles William Douglas, and Stephen B. Douglas were located in the car.  

A routine records check turned up 3 arrest warrants for 2 of the driver's names.  These warrants were for theft charges from two area gas stations.  Further investigation revealed that the defendant, who was identified as Stephen Douglas, 41, was hired as an assistant manager under his bogus names at these two establishments and used that position to access the cash registers and safes at the stores, stealing approximately $711 total.  Douglas pled guilty to the felony charge of Criminal Possession of a Forged Instrument and was sentenced to 1 year, but was probated for 2 years, and ordered to pay.

Lexington, KY.   Defendants Carmelia Bell, Irene Bell, Rebecca Coots, Josie Williams, and Joyel Williams decided to take debt collection into their own hands. They kicked in the door of a person that Coots claimed owed her money. They ran through the house, caused damage, and took property.  During this time, the victim was holding an infant and was on the phone with police. Several of the co-defendants threatened the victim. Plus, one of them hung up the phone and tried to grab the baby. The defendants fled the scene but were quickly apprehended.

All 5 defendants pled guilty to Criminal Trespass. All 5 defendants had their sentences probated and all 5 violated their probation. When Bell was asked why she violated her probation, she said, "I didn't have time to think about it." The Judge gave her time to think about it by ordering her to serve the remainder of her sentence in prison.