January Ozark County Law Day: Jami Vance sentenced in Sweeton Pond Church burglary

Jami Lynn Vance, a 34-year-old Hartshorn woman charged in connection with the April 19, 2016, break-in and burglary at the Sweeton Pond Church in Dora, was among the criminal defendants who appeared before Circuit Judge Craig Carter during the Jan. 3 session of Ozark County Law Day. 

Vance, who had previously pleaded guilty to second-degree burglary in connection with the case during the Nov. 8, 2017, session of Ozark County Law Day, appeared Jan. 3 for a sentencing hearing. A sentencing assessment report had been ordered and was available for Carter to review prior to the Jan. 3 sentencing hearing. Sentencing assessment reports are prepared by the Missouri Department of Corrections’ Board of Probation and Parole and include a recommended sentence based on the offender’s risk level, nature and severity of the offense, prior criminal history and other relevant factors.

Vance was sentenced to seven years in the Missouri Department of Corrections. The execution of the sentence was suspended, and she was placed on supervised probation for a term of five years. 

Vance and co-defendant David DuJardin, 34, of Houston, were both questioned by Texas County officers in 2016 in connection with a swath of burglaries in Texas County that coincided with the Sweeten Pond break-in. During questioning, Vance reportedly told officers she dropped DuJardin off at the Sweeton Pond Cemetery so he could steal the cemetery gate out front, and she pulled the car around to the church parking lot to wait for him. While trying to remove the gate, DuJardin realized he did not have the correct tools, so he reportedly broke out a window and entered the church in search of tools to use. While inside, he said he decided to take several other items as well. DuJardin loaded the vehicle with the stolen items, and the pair loaded the cemetery gate on top of their car and left. 

While attempting to leave, the pair had a flat tire just north of the church. Vance and DuJardin told officers they hid the stolen items from the church in a ditch and put the gate in a wooded area near where they abandoned their vehicle. 

Officers responded to the report of an abandoned vehicle on Highway 181 just north of the Sweeton Pond Cemetery on April 21, the statement says, and officers later determined the vehicle belonged to Vance and DuJardin; however, the burglary hadn’t been reported at that time, so the vehicle wasn’t deemed suspicious. The pair said they returned to the scene a few days afterward and retrieved the items, Vance said. 

DuJardin pleaded guilty to burglary in connection with the Sweeton Pond burglary case in July 2017 and was sentenced to five years in prison, to be served concurrently with other cases he was charged in. 

In other January Law Day proceedings, Carter processed a total of 30 additional criminal cases and six civil cases. The criminal cases are listed below.

 

Cases to reach disposition

Arthur A. Acklin pleaded guilty to possession of any controlled substance other than 35 grams or less of marijuana or a synthetic cannabinoid and was sentenced to five years in the Missouri Department of Corrections pursuant to Missouri’s long-term treatment statute. 

Jade Nicholl Goodnight pleaded guilty to possession of a controlled substance and was given a suspended sentence and was placed on four years supervised probation. 

Jeffrey William Kaufman pleaded guilty to driving while intoxicated, charged as a chronic offender. He was sentenced to five years in the Missouri Department of Corrections. 

Blake Roger Medlin, who pleaded guilty to driving while intoxicated, charged as a persistent offender in 2016, was sentenced to four years in the Missouri Department of Corrections after admitting to violating his probation in September 2017.

Barbara Marie Coffel, pleaded guilty by Alford plea to possession of any controlled substance other than 35 grams or less of marijuana, possession of marijuana and unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia and was given a suspended imposition of sentence and placed on probation for four years. 

Gregory Broya Hambelton pleaded guilty to possession of any controlled substance other than 35 grams or less of marijuana and was given a suspended imposition of sentence and placed on probation for a term of four years. Additional charges of possession of marijuana, unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia, failure to register a vehicle and failure to display license plates on a motor vehicle/trailer were dismissed. 

William Levi Hollan pleaded guilty to possession of any controlled substance other than 35 grams or less of marijuana and was given a suspended sentence and placed on probation for four years. 

John Wesley McCullough pleaded guilty to possession of any controlled substance other than 35 grams or less of marijuana and was sentenced to seven years in prison. The execution of the sentence was suspended, and he was placed on probation for a term of five years. 

 

Probation and payment hearings

Blake Medlin, who pleaded guilty in March 2016 to driving while intoxicated, charged as a persistent offender,  appeared for sentencing on a probation-violation hearing. He was sentenced to three years in the Missouri Department of Corrections to run concurrently with any other cases. 

Heath Arnold, who pleaded guilty to non-support of a child with total arrears in excess of 12 monthly payments due under a child support order and failure to register as a sex offender, was reviewed for early discharge. He was discharged from probation. Case complete. 

Jesse Logan Anderson, who pleaded guilty to non-support of a child with total arrears in excess of 12 monthly payments due under a child support order in February 2016, had a probation-violation hearing. He admitted to violating his probation, and his original three-year prison sentence was executed. 

Austin Fann, who pleaded guilty to possession of a controlled substance and resisting arrest/detention by fleeing in July 2015, had a probation-violation hearing. The public defender was appointed, and Fann admitted to violating his probation. Carter ordered that Fann’s original two four-year sentences be executed. They are scheduled to be served concurrently.

Kelley Mitchell Risley, who pleaded guilty to possession of any controlled substance other than 35 grams or less of marijuana in November 2016, had his probation-violation hearing continued to Feb. 7. 

William McAbee, charged with possession of any controlled substance other than 35 grams or less of marijuana and unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia, had his plea hearing or trial setting continued. 

 

Cases scheduled or continued to Feb. 7

Crystal Gayle Boulay, charged with statutory sodomy, deviate sexual intercourse with a person less than 14 years old, had her plea hearing or trial setting continued. 

Corbin Anderson, charged with two counts of possession of any controlled substance other than 35 grams of marijuana and two counts of unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia, had his plea hearing or trial setting continued. 

Crystal Jo Lewis, charged with domestic assault, had her plea hearing or trial setting continued. 

Brian K. Moray, charged with non-support of a child with total arrears in excess of 12 monthly payments due under a child support order, had his trial setting continued. 

Amy Leigh Smith, charged with possession of any controlled substance other than 35 grams or less of marijuana, had her plea hearing or trial setting continued. 

Joshua William Roscano, charged with damage to jail/jail property, had his plea hearing or trial setting continued. 

Sean B. King, charged with possession of any controlled substance other than 35 grams or less of marijuana, had his plea hearing or trial setting continued. 

 

Other cases

Johnathan W. Latham, charged with arson and property damage, appeared in custody. A hearing was held, and Latham said he wants to hire an attorney. A jury trial was set for Feb. 26. A pre-trial hearing is scheduled for Feb. 7. In a second case, Latham is charged with damage to jail or jail property. He is scheduled for a jury trial May 2. A pre-trial conference is scheduled for Feb. 7. 

Ozark County Times

504 Third Steet
PO Box 188
Gainesville, MO 65655

Phone: (417) 679-4641
Fax: (417) 679-3423