A Gallatin woman linked by DNA to a burglary nearly three years ago pleaded guilty Thursday.

Linda Sue Pennell is already serving six years at the Chillicothe Correctional Center for a stealing conviction. Pennell pleaded guilty Thursday to a class-c felony count of second-degree burglary for an incident in August of 2014 at a home in the 3000 block of Olive St. in St. Joseph.

In charging documents, police said the window and back door were forced open. “Blood from the suspect was found inside the residence where items of value were stolen,” according to the affidavit. “The DNA obtained from the blood evidence was processed and was a match for Linda Sue Helton-Pennell.”

Prosecutors said jewelry, family heirlooms and other items were taken, with a value of about $3,000.

Circuit Judge Daniel Kellogg ordered a sentence assessment report, and scheduled sentencing July 13 at 11am.

 

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.”

Missouri Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft announced Thursday the new voter ID law is in effect and an informational tour starts next week.

The new photo voter ID law is a state constitutional amendment approved by Missouri voters last November.

Ashcroft said the most important thing people should know is that registered voters in the state of Missouri, under the law, will be allowed to vote and their vote will count. Ashcroft said what this law means is when you go in to vote, you will be asked to show a government issued photo ID such as a state driver’s license, non-driver’s license, military ID or passport. 

“We want people to do that to make it harder for people to cheat,” Ashcroft said. “But if you don’t have that sort of ID, you can still use any of the IDs that you were allowed to use last year, the year before that or five years before that to go ahead and vote. So I want to tell people, that we’re moving in the direction of requiring a photo ID to vote but your vote will count, even if you don’t have it quite yet.” 

Ashcroft said to contact the Secretary of State’s office for more information or to get a government issued photo ID. 

Ashcroft will be traveling around the state on an informational tour regarding photo voter ID. The tour begins Monday and includes a stop in St. Joseph at 5:30 p.m. at the Downtown Public Library. For more information, click here.

A St. Joseph man who pleaded guilty to charges stemming from a lengthy police standoff has been granted bail pending sentencing next month.

As we reported, Christopher Chappell pleaded guilty last month to a felony count of burglary, in connection with the incident in March on Carol Drive. The victim in the incident was in court for the plea hearing in May.

Chappell’s lawyer said she is no longer scared of him, despite assertions during the standoff that he threatened to “see bullets in her head.” Circuit Judge Daniel Kellogg agreed to the defense’s motion for bail, which is now set at $30,000 with a $1,000 cash deposit, with the stipulation that he observe a curfew and does not posses any firearms.

Sentencing is scheduled for June 22.

A Buchanan County Judge formally ordered the condemnation of a stretch of land near the Belt and Gene Field road, as the city exercises eminent domain to build a right-turn lane at the crossing.

The City filed the petition in March. City officials and the property owner, Mart Plaza, LLC, offered different appraisals for the value of the property. Circuit Judge Daniel Kellogg signed the condemnation order Wednesday after a morning hearing.

Judge Kellogg is expected to appoint three disinterested residents to an appraisal commission to determine how much the property is worth.