By JONATHAN ZWEYGARDT
Hays Post
A Hutchinson couple pleaded no contest to robbery and drug charges Tuesday in Ellis County District Court after robbing a man in March while armed with a hatchet.
David Scott Hunter initially was charged with kidnapping, aggravated robbery, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, drug possession, and interference with law enforcement after the March 29 incident in Hays.
Hunter’s wife, Hollie Hunter, was charged with aiding in the commission of the crimes of kidnapping, aggravated robbery and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, and drug possession.
Under the plea agreement, David Hunter pleaded no contest and was found guilty of aggravated robbery and possession of methamphetamine — both felonies. The agreement calls for David Hunter to serve 130 months, or 10 years and 10 months, in prison on the aggravated robbery charge. He was also sentenced to 11 months for drug possession, which will run concurrent to the robbery sentence.
Three other charges were dropped as a result of the plea agreement.
He is also on probation with an underlying sentence of 21 months in prison for a case in Reno County and faces a theft charge in Reno County.
Hollie Hunter pleaded no contest and was found guilty of aiding and abetting in the commission of aggravated robbery and possession of methamphetamine.
Hunter agreed to 41 months for the aiding and abetting charge and 11 months on the drug charge for a total of 52 months. Under the agreement, Hunter will serve three years of probation instead of the prison sentence, but if she violates her probation, the judge can sentence her to the full 52 months in prison.
As part of the plea deal, Hollie Hunter agreed to testify against her husband. Two other charges were dropped.
According to court documents, David and Hollie Hunter were accused of robbing an acquaintance in the early morning hours of March 29 instead of giving him a ride to his girlfriend’s house.
The victim told police that Hollie Hunter drove the three of them to the Kwik Shop, 1301 Vine, to get gas and cigarettes but after the victim gave David Hunter cash, Hunter got back in the van and threatened the man with a hatchet.
Documents said David Hunter then told his wife to drive away and, after they reached an area outside of Hays, they let the man out of the vehicle.
The Hunters took a wallet, backpack, jewelry, a cellphone and approximately $150 from the victim.
The victim reported the incident to the Hays Police Department a short time later and traced his cellphone to a Hays hotel.
Police located a van matching the suspect’s van at the hotel. There an officer from the HPD identified both Hollie Hunter and David Hunter.
David Hunter, who initially gave the officer a fake name, was identified as having a Reno County warrant for his arrest and he was taken into custody. The officer also reportedly found Hunter to be in possession of items taken from the victim earlier in the day, as well as drug paraphernalia.
Hollie Hunter was identified as a person of interest in a shoplifting report at Walmart and also was arrested.
While searching the couple’s hotel, more of the victim’s belongings, drugs and drug paraphernalia were found.
Sentencing for both is tentatively scheduled for August.