A St. Joseph woman now admits a pair of burglaries that focused local attention on a south-side home that police called “a drug house and a menace to the neighborhood.” The defendant, who earlier jumped bail in the two cases, was once again denied bail now that she has pleaded guilty.

Shannon Schremser’s home at 4209 Paseo Dr. in south St. Joe “…is known as a drug house and is a menace to the neighborhood.” That’s according to St. Joseph Police Det. Frank Till in a court affidavit filed in the first burglary. (click here)

“Stolen items including two stolen cars in the last week are often brought to the defendant’s house,” Till said in the affidavit. “She surrounds herself with the criminal element and the neighbors are in constant fear of what will happen at the house next.”

Schremser admitted driving another suspect to a burglary Feb 7 on Mansfield Road in which a Lexus and other items were taken. Police said some of the stolen items were recovered at the Paseo Drive house. She also admitted involvement in a break in near Gower on S.E. Horn Road in February.  As we reported, she was found in possession of stolen property taken during Horn Road incident, which happened just days after she posted bail in the Mansfield Road case.

Judge Kellogg informed Schremser that she faces up to 14 years in prison and $20,000 in fines on both counts. The judge scheduled sentencing July 13 at 11:00am.

Schremser blamed the crime spree and her failures to appear in court on drugs. Judge Kellogg was quick to deny bail after the guilty pleas, given the defendant’s history. Schremser posted bail in the first case, but was arrested days later for the second. She posted bail in the second case, and in March convinced a judge to let her remove a GPS device.  We reported in April when she failed to appear for hearings in both cases. She was arrested again May 8.

“I think this is a case of ‘fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me,’ ” Judge Kellogg said. “I just think she wants to get out and use again.”