Trick-or-treat bandit enters plea

PALMER — One of two women accused in the Halloween 2007 holdup of eight young Talkeetna trick-or-treaters at gunpoint has pleaded guilty to one count of robbery.

Kendra Butts, 19, had little to say besides “yes, your honor” as Superior Court Judge Beverly Cutler asked Wednesday if she understood various components of the deal she and her lawyer, Lyle Stohler, had reached with prosecutors.

Butts will serve seven to 11 years in prison on the charge, prosecutor Rachel Gernat said at the hearing.

Gernat also said that one of Butts’ co-defendants, Amber Martin, 20, has struck a similar deal. Butts has agreed that prosecutors can revoke her plea deal if Martin refuses to accept hers, which she is set to do May 12.

Gernat said she didn’t have any concerns about Butts’ or Martin’s compliance with prosecutors’ requests.

“Everything so far from both defendants has been satisfied,” she said.

Butts and Martin were originally charged with eight counts each of robbery and assault for the holdup — one for each of the kids Alaska State Troopers say the two women relieved of candy. The women allegedly jumped from a truck wearing ski masks, pointed a pistol at the kids, demanded their trick-or-treat haul, fired a round into the ground, then made off with the candy.

Butts’ and Martin’s boyfriends — Michael Scott Wilson and Aaron Tolen, both 25 — were the first to be arrested after they showed up at a Talkeetna-area eatery driving a truck that matched the description kids gave. The boyfriends were initially charged with hindering prosecution and possessing weapons in violation of their parole on previous felony convictions.

The case eventually grew after troopers said they found a cache of stolen items — from ATVs to trucks to tools — near Montana Creek Road. A lot of the items, troopers report, were traced back to Talkeetna-area burglaries.

Prosecutors early this year piled more charges on top of the four defendants relating to the Montana Creek Road property. Butts, in particular, faced an additional 15 felony counts for what prosecutors say was her part in those crimes.

Gernat said that as part of her plea agreement, Butts will see those charges dismissed as well.

Gernat said the plea only resolves the Alaska Superior Court portion of the case against Butts, who also faces a federal charge of obstruction of justice. Wilson and Tolen are also facing federal charges of obstruction of justice and being felons in possession of weapons.

Cutler informed Butts that she was also placing in her file a confidential document outlining what Butts has agreed to do in exchange for her plea. Prosecutors could not speak to what was in that document.

Butts is due to be sentenced Aug. 26 in Palmer. Tolen and Wilson are next due in court June 10.

Contact Andrew Wellner at andrew.wellner@frontiers-man.com or 352-2270.