On Thursday, July 23, 2015, Taney County Circuit Court Judge Laura Johnson sentenced Jacob “Jake” Kemp, d/o/b 1-29-1994, of Branson, to fifteen (15) years in prison for two (2) class A felonies of robbery in the first degree. Each of those sentences are to run concurrently with one another. Kemp’s sentences are for robberies committed several hours apart on September 20, 2013, at two (2) different Wal-Mart locations in Branson. Kemp showed clerks a prop gun that appeared to be a functioning pistol during the robberies.

Kemp entered the guilty pleas on April 16, 2015, pursuant to a plea agreement with the Taney County Prosecutor’s Office. The plea agreement called for the prosecutor to argue for twenty (20) years on each count, while the defendant could argue for any sentence, including probation. The plea agreement called for the sentences to be concurrent with one another.

At Thursday’s sentencing, defendant’s lawyer argued to the court that Kemp should be placed on probation. The State, represented by Taney County Prosecutor Jeff Merrell, pointed out to the court that Kemp was on probation when he committed these robberies and argued for twenty-year sentences.