A man has pleaded guilty to five criminal counts stemming from a 2012 incident in which he held 11 people hostage in a Red Roof Inn motel, and now faces a 24-year minimum prison sentence, as reported by the Woodbury Bulletin.
D.B., 26, claims that it was his use of both drugs and alcohol that caused him to shoot his alleged friend, M.H., and sexually assault three minor girls.
As part of his plea deal some of the charges, including aggravated battery, were dismissed. Instead, D.B. pleaded guilty to five counts that included both criminal sexual conduct and attempted murder.
D.B. admitted to shooting M.H. on August 31, 2012 at the motel – because M.H. had tried to flee the room the group was being held hostage in.
By pleading guilty to Judge Ellen Maas in Washington County District Court, D.B. has waived his rights to a trial.
D.B. explained that he had gone to the motel to party with 11 other people – most of which he didn't know.
M.H., after being shot by D.B., was killed by police fire as they thought he was a subject advancing on them.
D.B. said he was aware that he had tried to shoot M.H. to death himself. He also admitted to using the gun as a threat in forcing the girls to have sex with him.
Public Defender Pam King said that it was "at that point that things started to get out of control."
King asked D.B, "You understood what you were doing was wrong?" To which D.B. responded, "Yes, Ma'am."
According to the Assistant Washington County Attorney Siv Yurichuk, the three young girls have been afraid to leave their homes since the sexual attack. They each had suffered substantial trauma. Their largest fear was that D.B. would get out of serving jail time and come after them to inflict further sexual assaults.
Yurichuk said that after the nine months it has taken to resolve the case, "The moms are all pretty relieved things are done." Yurichuk added, "He was the catalyst that set off the whole shooting and everything. I think 24 years is sufficient."
According to court records, the event unfolded after authorities received a 911 call from one of the victims – before D.B. was able to take the phone away. C.R, a Woodbury police detective who is also a Washington County hostage negotiator, was in telephone communications with D.B. off and on during the four-hour-long standoff.
C.R. said that D.B. attributed his behavior to his use of drugs and alcohol. C.R. told reporters, "He was up and down, he was angry, sad. He was ready to kill himself and everybody in the room."
Though the conversation between C.R. and D.B. was lengthy, the sexual assaults were not brought up. C.R. said that he "didn't find out about most of the other things until later."
Sentencing is set for October 7.
Whether you face one misdemeanor charge or several felonies, contact a criminal defense attorney to help you before going to court and in negotiating any plea deals.
