Austin T. Brownell will spend the next few years in a juvenile detention facility ? and could do prison time as an adult ? for shooting Angela Krepps during a robbery in rural Cowley County this summer.
Brownell, 15, reached a plea agreement with prosecutors and was found guilty of aggravated robbery in connection with the incident involving Krepps. He was also convicted of a charge of aggravated burglary related to a separate incident.
He was sentenced to six years and six months at a juvenile facility in Topeka and received an adult sentence of eight years and six months. The adult sentence is stayed provided Brownell serves his juvenile time and completes court-ordered programs without incident.
Krepps attended Thursday’s sentencing at the county courthouse in Winfield and said she was satisfied with the court’s resolution of the case. She was struck in the face and breast by bullets Brownell fired during a thwarted robbery at the Krepps’ home July 29.
"I really still don’t know what to say at this point," Krepps said. "This didn’t happen that long ago, it’s still fresh. I still have a bullet in my jaw."
Brownell’s case advanced quickly through the legal system mostly because he was charged as a juvenile, Smith said. Adult cases of a similar severity can take well over a year to reach a resolution.
Though a judge ruled against a request to prosecute the suspect as an adult, Brownell still faces a number of years of confinement. Instead of adult charges, the court granted prosecutors extended jurisdiction, which means Brownell can be held beyond the age of 18.
In addition, any incident at the juvenile facility, or another criminal charge, could send Brownell to an adult facility to serve an adult sentence once he turns 16, Smith said.
"I think the judge has done everything he could to give him a chance," Smith said. "But if he doesn’t take advantage of that he’s headed to an adult prison."
Smith said Brownell also has become a convicted felon and would automatically face more prison time if he were convicted of another crime the remainder of his life.
Krepps was up late working on county fair projects when a barking dog alerted her to someone outside. She was shot as she went outside to investigate.
She has recovered from her wounds but said she will face at least one additional surgery because of her injuries.
