Hacker Valley Woman Pleads Guilty to Wanton Endangerment

A Hacker Valley woman pleaded guilty to the felony crime of Wanton Endangerment in court proceedings before Judge Jack Alsop Thursday morning.

Katrina Mae Brown

Katrina Mae Brown, age 44, was originally charged with five counts of Wanton Endangerment, but as part of her plea agreement with the State, she agreed to plead guilty to one count in exchange for a dismissal of the other counts. The plea agreement further provides that the State will make a non-binding recommendation to the Judge that Brown be placed on probation, with in-patient substance abuse treatment as a condition of the probation. The penalty for Wanton Endangerment is a definite prison term of not less than one nor more than five years, or, in the discretion of the court, confined in the county jail for not more than one year, or fined not less than $250.00 nor more than $5,000.00, or both.

According to the original criminal complaint filed by State Police Trooper E.E. Bostic against Brown, Bostic obtained a recorded statement from Brown's sister, Karla Coley, who told Bostic that Brown came to their parents' residence on November 27, 2012 at 3:30 a.m. in a highly intoxicated state and loaded a .270 Remington rifle. According to Coley's statement, Brown pointed the gun at Coley and their mother, Vella Brown, and said that she would kill everyone in the residence and blow the place up. 

Coley told Bostic she was scared for the safety of herself and her children. Bostic also obtained a recorded statement from Vella Brown. Vella told Bostic that Brown loaded the gun, pointed it at her and Coley, and stated that she would blow the house up with the children in the residence. The residence was occupied by Kenneth Brown, Vella Brown, Coley, and the three children.

Brown has been incarcerated since her arrest on November 29, 2012 and she remains in jail pending a pre-sentence report and a sentencing hearing. She was represented by Weston attorney James Clevenger.