KIMBERLY K. COOK, d/o/b 7-27-1968, of Springfield, Missouri, entered a guilty plea on Wednesday, March 1, 2017, to the class A felony of robbery in the first degree, the class B felony of robbery in the second degree, and two unclassified felonies of armed criminal action. Judge Laura Johnson accepted Cook’s guilty plea and scheduled a sentencing date for June 16, 2017. A sentencing assessment report was ordered. Prior to the plea, the case had been scheduled for a jury trial on March 27, 2017.

All charges in this case stemmed from a pair of robberies committed by Cook on October 2, 2014, in the City of Branson. Cook first robbed a woman of her car in the parking lot of a local business. Cook then drove the car to a motel and robbed an employee of cash belonging to the motel. During both robberies, Cook was armed with a knife. Branson police officers caught Cook later the same day, and he was found to be in possession of a knife, the stolen cash, and the keys to the stolen vehicle. Detectives Nathan Arnett and Sean Barnwell led the investigation.

The class A felony of robbery in the first degree carries a potential prison sentence of between 10 and 30 years, or life with the possibility of parole. The class B felony of robbery in the second degree carries a sentence of between 5 and 15 years in prison. The felonies of armed criminal action carry a minimum of 3 years in prison and have no upper maximum. Cook was charged as a persistent felony offender due to his prior convictions for robbery, attempted robbery, leaving the scene of an accident, and aggravated battery. The State made no agreement for a specific sentence, but will ask the Court for concurrent sentences of 25 years in the Missouri Department of Corrections.