LIMA — A Lima woman on Wednesday pleaded guilty to a reduced charge in connection with the assault of a Lima man earlier this year.
Jessica Risner, 28, of Lima, was indicted in June by a grand jury on charges of kidnapping, a felony of the first degree, and two counts of felonious assault, felonies of the second degree. Through a deal with prosecutors she pleaded guilty to an amended count of abduction, a third-degree felony, in exchange for the dismissal by the state of the two remaining counts.
The plea did not come without a bit of drama. After Judge Terri Kohlrieser asked Risner if anyone had promised her anything in exchange for her plea, the woman said she was told that “I was going to get two years of community control” as a sentence.
The judge called a recess to allow Risner to meet with her attorney, Carroll Creighton. A short time later the woman accepted the plea deal after Creighton said there had been a “misunderstanding” on the part of his client about a guaranteed sentence.
Risner is one of several persons charged in connection with injuries inflicted upon Eric Drake in February of this year. According to court documents, Drake told police he had gone to Jessica Risner’s residence to help her move a piece of furniture when he was assaulted by a man introduced to him as “Tyler.” The man struck Eric numerous times and eventually stabbed him with an unknown object. Drake was then taken to a bedroom was he was “hog-tied” by Risner. according to police statements.
When the assault was finished Drake was told by Risner to get into the bathtub and stay there until she honked her car horn three times. She said if he tried to leave he would be shot.
Jessica Risner told police her sister, Darrik, contacted her to set up the assault against Drake. Jessica said “Tyler” was actually their cousin, Jeremy Miller, who pleaded guilty in April to a fourth-degree felony count of aggravated assault and was sentenced to three years on probation.
.neFileBlock {
margin-bottom: 20px;
}
.neFileBlock p {
margin: 0px 0px 0px 0px;
}
.neFileBlock .neFile {
border-bottom: 1px dotted #aaa;
padding-bottom: 5px;
padding-top: 10px;
}
.neFileBlock .neCaption {
font-size: 85%;
}
