By JAMES MITCHELL
Sunday Times Newspapers
TAYLOR — A 33-year-old man was sentenced to more than 20 years in prison after pleading guilty to felony charges including assault with intent to murder.
Jeremy Jay Jones was sentenced last month by Wayne County Circuit Court Judge James A. Callahan for crimes committed
during a February home invasion and shooting that left a homeowner in critical condition.
According to police, Jones broke into a neighbor’s
home in the 7500 block of Wilkie Street about 9:30 p.m. Feb. 10. Police Chief Mary Sclabassi said Jones was confronted by homeowner John Joseph Henry, “while in the act of taking personal property.”
Jones shot Henry in the head with a handgun that had been stolen from the home.
Jones left the home after allegedly threatening Henry’s girlfriend, who called 911 and sought medical attention. Henry remained hospitalized for several weeks after the incident.
Investigators determined that Jones had next contacted William Wayne Chaffin, 26, to help sell stolen property.
Jones and Chaffin were quickly identified as suspects and in custody within 48 hours of the break-in.
Jones was originally charged with 10 felonies, including assault with intent to murder, armed robbery, home invasion, felonious assault and several weapons charges.
In late May Jones withdrew his initial not guilty plea to all charges and pleaded guilty to three counts: assault with intent to murder, home invasion and felony firearms
possession.
Jones was sentenced to a minimum of 23 years in prison for the first charge, seven years for home invasion and two years for felony firearms possession.
Jones had been on probation for a 2012 conviction of carrying a concealed weapon.
Chaffin had originally been charged with receiving
and concealing stolen property, accessory after the fact and as a felon in possession of a firearm.
On probation from a previous Chaffin pleaded guilty to two of four charges and was sentenced last month to two years in prison for felony firearm possession and receiving and concealing stolen weapons.
(James Mitchell can be reached at [email protected].)