Two people have pleaded guilty to charges in connection with business burglaries that occurred in August 2017 in Cole County.
David Rice, 21, of California, and Hannah Means, 20, of Jefferson City, each were charged with one count of first-degree burglary and one count of second-degree burglary.
Cole County Judge Dan Green sentenced Rice to five years in prison and Means to five years of supervised probation. Each must pay $1,258.65 in restitution.
Two others charged in this case - Danielle Rice, 22, and Travis Webb, 24, both of California - still face charges of one count of first-degree burglary and one count of second-degree burglary. Their cases are pending.
The burglaries occurred at Rainbow Market on Rainbow Drive and at Pass-N-Gas on Route C in Russellville, according to Cole County Sheriff's Department probable cause statements. Both stores had glass doors broken and several items taken.
Not long after these burglaries occurred, Moniteau County sheriff's deputies responded to a shots-fired call at a residence on Walker Road in California. Four adults connected to the Cole County burglaries were at this residence and were taken into custody. A juvenile also was taken into custody and later turned over to juvenile authorities.
During a search of the residence, deputies recovered several cartons of cigarettes, pocket knives and cigars taken in the burglaries.
The four adults were questioned and admitted to being involved in the burglaries, according to the probable cause statement. They told investigators they had planned the crimes a few days before carrying them out. Danielle Rice drove the vehicle the group rode in to the burglaries while Webb, David Rice and Means broke into the businesses, using a car jack handle to break the glass doors. David Rice said he had a loaded firearm in his pocket when they committed the crimes, investigators said.