Published: April 21, 2009 12:19 pm      

Woman changes plea, admits robbing Plaza Drug

Despite a question about whether she had a gun at the time, Shasta Vaughn, pleaded guilty to robbing Plaza Drug in exchange for a 10-year prison sentence.

Vaughn, 20, was scheduled to go to trial Wednesday in Laurel Circuit Court on one count of first-degree robbery. Minutes after she sat down at the defense table, she broke into tears and whispered to her attorney, Warren Scoville. Scoville then requested the court re-arraign Vaughn so she could plead guilty.

Laurel Circuit Court Judge John Knox Mills told the members of the jury pool their services would not be needed, but assured them their time in court had not been wasted.

“Sometimes, your very presence helps the parties come to a resolution,” Mills said.

Vaughn is scheduled to be formally sentenced May 15. She will receive the minimum sentence allowed under Kentucky law, 10 years. Commonwealth’s Attorney Jackie Steele said she must serve 85 percent of that, meaning she will be in prison for 8 1/2 years before she will be eligible for parole. Vaughn will remain in custody pending formal sentencing.

Kentucky State Police Detective Mark Allen said about 5:30 p.m. on Sept. 5, a woman, later identified as Vaughn, came into the store and walked up to the counter. The employees said while they were waiting on the woman, she pulled a gun from her waistband and demanded drugs. About 1 a.m. on Sept. 6, Laurel County Sheriff’s deputies arrested Vaughn.

“The employees told us she had a gun, but we never did find one,” Allen said. “According to Miss Vaughn, she didn’t have a gun.”

Scoville said there is no gun among the evidence.

“That is not in any of the discovery,” Scoville said.

As part of the plea agreement, the commonwealth agreed to dismiss an unrelated case against Vaughn in which she was accused of forging checks.

Staff writer Dean Manning may be reached at dmanning@sentinel-echo.com.