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Jenna Leigh Hargrave, 22, and Dereck Christopher Viator, 27, entered plea agreements in which more serious charges of burglary and aggravated robbery were dropped.
Sentencing recommendations were not made for either suspect. Hargrave has no criminal history and is expected to be placed on probation. Viator’s criminal history has yet to be determined.
Despite being the only two people scheduled to appear in the late afternoon Wednesday, their appearances caused a 15-minute delay. Hargrave was escorted back to jail before jailers could bring Viator into court. Earlier in their proceedings, Hargrave and Viator passed each other in a holding area outside the courtroom and started a shouting match, which led Judge Jeff Thompson to order they remain separated at all times.
According to their testimony Wednesday, Hargrave, Viator and his brother, Cy Louis Viator, 24, went to a residence on April 23, 2007, in the 500 block of Mankato Avenue, to buy marijuana from a man who lived there. Hargrave said she and Cy Viator waited outside while Dereck Viator made the transaction.
Dereck Viator said the drug deal didn’t go according to plan and he stole marijuana from the victim. He said he then threatened the victim with harm if he called police.
According to the criminal complaint, the victim was tied up with duct tape and Cy Viator pointed a gun at him and said he would “finish” him if he called police. The trio then took two video game consoles, about 50 games, several clothing items and about an ounce of marijuana, the complaint states.
All of them fled to Louisiana, where Dereck Viator and Hargrave were arrested on warrants in
October. Cy Viator is in custody in Olla, La., on unrelated charges. A warrant has been issued for his arrest.
Judge Mary Leahy told the defendants Wednesday the crime was “foolish” and “dangerous.”
“It did shake people up in Winona,” she said. “A lot.”
Dereck Viator and Hargrave are scheduled to return to court for sentencing July 3.
Contact Kevin Behr at (507) 453-3524 or at kbehr@ winonadailynews.com.
