From Staff Reports
A second person has been sentenced to state prison in connection to a series of 2017 burglaries in Neely.
Robbie Diane Cox, 32, of George St., Petal, was sentenced last month in Greene County Circuit Court and will serve at least three years with the Mississippi Department of Corrections. Cox pled guilty to burglary of a dwelling and burglary in connection to the burglaries of two properties along Old Hwy. 24 in Neely in late March and early April of 2017. Judge Robert Krebs ordered Cox to serve 15 years with three to serve for the burglary of the home of Eva Lewis Hillman and seven years, with three to serve, for the burglary of property belonging to Keith Dunnam. She will serve the sentences concurrently.
Cox, John Charles Owens, 32, of Dixie Oaks, Hattiesburg, and an unnamed 16-year-old juvenile were arrested in May 2017 for burglarizing and ransacking the Hillman home and making off with assorted tools and a large safe that contained approximately $5,000 in cash. Cox and the juvenile were also charged in connection with the burglary of a large shop belonging to Dunnam. At the time, Sheriff Stanley McLeod accused the two of “cleaning the place out”, using a trailer they found on the property to haul off a welding machine, drill presses, a log splitter and other large tools.
The stolen safe was recovered, broken and emptied, from a pond in Neely in April of last year. Soon afterward Kevin Herbert Courtney, 48, of Courtney Drive, Neely, was indicted along with Owens and Cox, for the burglaries. Owens pled guilty to one count of burglary and was sentenced this past December to 15 years with MDOC, with four to serve. Courtney was indicted for one of the burglaries and is out on bond awaiting his day in court on this charge.
Judge Krebs also handed down sentences on three other individuals during his April term in court.
Victoria Gail Fairley, 35, of Lucedale, pled guilty to grand larceny (Aug. 2016) and was sentenced to five years in drug court.
Ronald Jason Allen, 43, of Moss Point, pled guilty to conspiracy to introduce a controlled substance into a correctional facility and possession of a controlled substance inside a correctional facility (Meth – June 2016). Allen was sentenced as a habitual offender to seven years to run concurrent with four other sentences from Jackson County he is currently serving.
Grallin Ray Box, 36, of McLain, pled guilty to transfer of a controlled substance (meth – enhanced penalty, Oct. 2016) and sentenced to 10 years in the custody of MDOC, with at least three to serve.
