A 22-year-old St. Joseph woman was sentenced to five years probation Thursday for a pair of burglaries in February, and will take part in a 120-day drug treatment program. Shannon Schremser pleaded guilty on June 1 to two class-d felony counts of 2nd degree burglary.
Prosecutors say Schremser and a co-defendant broke into the garage of a home on Mansfield Road belonging to Western District Commissioner Ron Hook in February.
Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Joshua Bachman told the judge that while the Hook family slept, the suspects took tools, sporting equipment, and a vehicle, among other items.
Schremser also took part in a break in at a home near Gower. Bachman said they ransacked the home, taking medications, decorative items, book cases, and some paintings which the owner said had great sentimental value. This burglary happened within about 24 hours of the first one. Hook said that some of the property from the second break in was found in the stolen car recovered after the break-in at his home.
Bachman said property from these and other burglaries was found in Schremser’s home on Paseo Drive in south St. Joe. Police called it “a drug house and a menace to the neighborhood,” adding neighbors are in “…constant fear of what will happen next.”
As we reported, Schremser jumped bail in both cases, but was taken back into custody within about a month.
In court on Thursday, Bachman asked for a five-year sentence on each count. Bachman said a lot more was stolen than was found in her house, much of it apparently sold. He also said they found stolen property throughout the Paseo Drive home, including items from burglaries which have not been reported. Backman said the crimes caused fear and insecurity in the community.
Schremser’s lawyer asked for a chance at drug court or a treatment program. Schremser told Judge Daniel Kellogg once again that drugs made her commit the crimes. She said she was sorry for her actions. The judge told Schremser she was lucky to be alive, that she could easily have been shot during a burglary. Kellogg suspended imposition of sentence and placed Schremser on five years probation, to include 120 days in a Dept. of Corrections drug treatment program.