Editor's Note: The article has been updated to reflect that it was Aaron Neil Coley who threatened Benton schools.
DARLINGTON — A 20-year-old convicted of participating in multiple thefts in the Benton area was sentenced last week to seven months in jail and four years on probation.
Blake James Hibner, Montfort, pleaded no contest Aug. 22 in Lafayette County Circuit Court as part of a joint plea agreement. He was found guilty of a Class H felony count of theft and a Class I felony count of criminal damage to religious property, as well as misdemeanor charges of receiving or concealing stolen property, resisting or obstructing an officer and theft.
A Class F felony charge of burglary and an additional Class H felony count of theft were dismissed as part of the agreement.
Co-defendant Aaron Neil Coley, 19, Benton, pleaded no contest in June to similar charges and was sentenced to nine months in jail and four years on probation. Another co-defendant, Kethan Alan Rood, 21, Platteville, pleaded guilty in June to a felony charge of theft and misdemeanor charge of marijuana possession and was sentenced to two years on probation.
Both Coley and Rood are eligible to have their convictions expunged under a state law that grants leniency to young offenders.
According to court records, Hibner, Coley and Rood conspired this winter steal guns from cars in Benton and Cuba City.
Court records indicate Hibner and Coley also broke into Benton Bible Church during the night of Jan. 13, entering through the roof and breaking a window before taking the church’s offering money, breaking into the church’s vending machine to eat snacks and steal money from it and trying to pry into a storage room.
On May 22, Coley threatened to use guns against law enforcement and shoot and kill everyone at Benton School, 41 Alma Street, which houses about 240 students in grades K-12.
The court adopted the joint recommendation, which also states Hibner have no contact with Coley or Rood or Benton Bible Church. Hibner was ordered to pay $1,205 in restitution. He is set to report to the Grant County Jail on Sept. 21.