On Thursday, October 23, 2014, in the Circuit Court of Taney County, JONATHAN D. HILL, d/o/b 8-01-1976, of Forsyth, pleaded guilty and was sentenced by Greene County Circuit Court Judge Calvin Holden to twenty-five (25) years in the Missouri Department of Corrections, for committing several felonies during a home invasion in December of 2012.
Specifically, Hill entered an Alford plea of guilty to the class B felony of assault in the first degree, and straight guilty pleas to the class B felonies of burglary in the first degree, and two (2) counts of kidnapping. Hill also pleaded guilty to the class A felony of robbery in the first degree, and the unclassified felony of armed criminal action – receiving concurrent sentences of twenty-five (25) years on each of those six (6) felonies. In addition, Hill pleaded guilty to the class C felony of tampering in the first degree – for which he received fifteen (15) years – and the class D felony of resisting arrest – for which he received seven (7) years. Judge Holden, hearing the case on assignment, sentenced Hill pursuant to a plea agreement with the Taney County Prosecutor’s Office.
On December 28, 2012, the Taney County Sheriff’s Office responded to a 9-1-1 call regarding a home invasion in Ridgedale. The occupants of the home, a husband and wife, told deputies that they recognized Hill because he had previously done renovation work at their home. They further reported that Hill and another male had forced their way inside the home. Once inside, the robbers physically assaulted the husband – fracturing his orbital bone – and threatened to kill both victims with a knife.
Hill and the other man loaded the homeowners’ guns, ammunition, jewelry, and other valuables into the homeowners’ truck, and bound the victims with duct tape before fleeing the scene. When deputies located Hill and the other male, the men fled from law enforcement, driving at speeds exceeding 100 miles-per-hour. The men were eventually found hiding in a heavily wooded area within hours of the home invasion.
A class A felony carries a range of punishment of ten (10) to thirty (30) years or life imprisonment, while ordinarily a class B felony carries a range of punishment of five (5) to fifteen (15) years imprisonment. A class C felony carries up to seven (7) years imprisonment and up to $5,000 in fines, and a class D felony carries up to four (4) years imprisonment and up to $5,000 in fines. However, Hill was charged as a prior and persistent felony offender, enhancing the maximum sentence for his felony offenses. Armed Criminal Action carries a minimum punishment of three (3) years imprisonment with no maximum.
Due to the nature of the crime, Hill will be required to serve at least eighty-five percent (85%) of his sentence before he is eligible for parole. Hill had been in jail since his arrest in December of 2012.