Mathes pleads to crime spree

May 25—A Cumberland County woman accused of going on a crime spree last month pleaded guilty to multiple car burglary and vandalism charges. She is just one of ten persons entering guilty pleas in Cumberland County Criminal Court.

The good news is Jennifer Lynn Mathes, 36, received an eight-year suspended sentence to be served on supervised probation. The bad news is, she has to pay $20,421.79 restitution to one of the victims.

Mathes pleaded guilty to an information charging six counts of auto burglary and two counts of vandalism of $10,000 to $60,000. Charges of two additional vandalisms, aggravated criminal trespassing, simple possession and public intoxication are dropped.

The series of incidents began in the early hours of April 8 when sheriff's deputies received multiple calls of attempted burglaries and thefts in the area of Tabor Loop to the 5600 block of Hwy. 127 N.

Investigation by deputies recovered a surveillance tape showing a woman, identified as Mathes, crawling under a security gate, stealing a 1996 Ford F70 pickup and crashing it through two closed and locked gates.

Mathes was taken into custody and placed under $134,500 bond and has been in custody since her arrest.

Should Mathes violate conditions of her probation, she could face serving eight years at 30% minus credit for 20 days already served in jail.

In other cases on the docket, the following guilty pleas were entered:

—Heather Marie Phillips, 31, charged with possession of para-Fluorofentanyl for sell and/or delivery, possession of psilocybin for sell and/or delivery, possession of more than .5 grams of meth for sell and/or delivery, possession of fentanyl for sell and/or delivery and possession of a weapon by a felon, pleaded guilty to attempted possession of fentanyl with intent and possession of more than .5 grams of meth with intent and received a ten-year sentence with one year to serve and the balance on supervised probation.

Phillips is to pay $2,000 fine in the meth case and clerk's fees in both cases. She is credited with 375 days already served in jail.

The charges stem from an April 16, 2022, investigation and arrest by the CCSO.

—Frank Henry Quince Jr., 51, charged with aggravated assault, pleaded guilty to reckless aggravated assault (display of deadly weapon) and received a two-year sentence with credit for 423 days already served in jail. Court costs were waived.

The charge stems from a July 17, 2021, random assault on Vaughn St. during which a machete was waved. The incident was investigated by CPD.

—Kole Austin Roberts, 24, charged with two counts of indecent exposure (victim under age of 13) and one count of indecent exposure, pleaded guilty to two counts of indecent exposure and received two 11-month and 29 day suspended sentences to be served consecutively on supervised probation (total of two years). Remaining charge was dropped and Roberts is banned from contact with the victims.

The charges stem from June 17, 2020, Aug. 13, 2020 and Sept. 18, 2020, incidents investigated by CCSO.

—Jeffery Dean Winningham, 56, charged with burglary, theft of up to $1,000 and simple possession of meth, pleaded guilty to theft of property and received a two-year suspended sentence to be served on supervised probation with remaining charges dismissed. There were three co-defendants.

The charge stems from an Aug. 23, 2021, house burglary during which jewelry was stolen. The incident was investigated by CPD.

—Charles Dewane Brown Jr., 48, pleaded guilty to an information charging possession of heroin for resale stemming from an April 2 traffic stop by CCSO. Charges of possession of meth, possession of Ecstasy and drug paraphernalia were dismissed. Brown received a 12-year prison sentence as a Range 1 offender that is to be served consecutive to a parole violation sentence. Fine and court costs were waived.

—Brian Joseph McCristall, 33, pleaded guilty to an information charging aggravated assault, stemming from an April 11 incident during which shots were fired during a disturbance on Lee St. and investigated by CPD. The incident was captured on video. McCristall received a three-year sentence to serve as a Range 1 offender, was credited with 17 days already served, forfeits property seized during the arrest and fine and court costs were waived.

—Lakeshia Dawn Martin, 33, pleaded guilty to informations and docket cases charging introducing contraband into a penal institution, attempted possession of heroin and possession of more than .5 grams of meth with intent to sell and deliver and received a total of eight years with 120 days to serve and the balance on supervised probation. She has credit for 196 days already served in jail and will serve the sentence on supervised probation.

The meth charge stems from an Oct. 6, 2021, house check and search by the TBI, Board of Pardons and Parole and CCSO. The introduction of contraband charge stems from a Jan. 25 jail search during which heroin was found on her person and the attempted possession occurred on Jan. 9 and was investigated by CCSO.

—Kristen Dawn Parham, 49, pleaded guilty to an information charging introducing contraband into a penal institution and received a three-year suspended sentence with Parham to go to long-term in-house recovery treatment. All other pending charges are to be dismissed and all items seized are forfeited.

The charge stems from Parham being found in possession of meth during an intake search at the jail on March 11.

—Winston Marcus Steadman, 27, pleaded guilty to an information charging filing a false report and was granted judicial diversion on a two-year suspended sentence with the plea set aside for that period of time. If successful in completion all terms and conditions of probation, Steadman can petition the court to have the charge removed from the record.

The charge stems from an incident on Meadow Creek Pt. on Jan. 22 during which a threat to kill a child was made. It was noted the utterance carried no intent.

—Jacob Lonzie Stephens, 34, pleaded guilty to an information charging criminal simulation and forgery on March 10, 2022 and June 24, 22 respectively, and received a two-year suspended sentence. The charges stem from the passing of forged checks at Profitt's Market. Stephens is to pay $358.96 restitution to the market and $417 restitution to a victim in the case. CCSO investigated the incidents.

Michael Moser may be reached at mmoser@crossville-chronicle.com