Cox-Burkard pleads guilty after Hillsboro standoff incident

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A Hillsboro man could face nearly 20 years in prison after pleading guilty to several criminal charges brought on by a March standoff with law enforcement that happened at a residence on SR 124.

Elijah Cox-Burkard, 20, pled guilty Wednesday to aggravated burglary, a first-degree felony, grand theft, having weapons while under disability, both third degree felonies, theft, a fourth-degree felony, and breaking and entering, a fifth-degree felony. One count of aggravated robbery, a first-degree felony, was dropped as part of a plea agreement.

Cox-Burkard was indicted in April after a March incident in which he allegedly entered a home on SR 73 in Hillsboro, wrestled a shotgun from the homeowner, brandished it at a nearby driver, stole a Polaris Ranger UTV from a garage on SR 124, then barricaded himself in a relative’s residence until the Strategic Response Team executed a search warrant there, finding Cox-Burkard hiding in the attic, according to court documents.

Judge Rocky Coss ordered a pre-sentence investigation and scheduled a sentencing hearing for June 5.

Cox-Burkard could be sentenced to as many as 19 1/2 years based on the charges. Highland County Prosecuting Attorney Anneka Collins told The Times-Gazette she will request that Cox-Burkard serve 14 years in prison.

According to Collins, Cox-Burkard has an extensive criminal record, including 17 juvenile adjudications, 10 being felonies.

Cox-Burkard is represented by defense attorneys Lee Koogler and Adam King.

Also Wednesday, Andy Munyon, 34, Greenfield, was sentenced to 11 months in prison after a jury found him guilty in April of complicity to receiving stolen property, a fourth degree felony, and complicity to failure to comply, a first-degree misdemeanor.

Although a prison sentence was not mandatory in the case, Munyon, also represented by Koogler, asked to be sentenced to prison instead of community control sanctions and drug treatment.

Munyon said in court it would be “impossible” for him to successfully complete drug treatment, and he feels he would probably end up in prison anyway.

“I know for a fact I would not complete that program,” he said.

Coss said it was Munyon’s “fatalistic attitude” that was standing in the way of his return to a law-abiding life rather than his circumstances.

“Obviously, with that attitude, you won’t succeed,” Coss said.

“I growed up on this side of the fence,” Munyon said. “This is the way my life is going to be.”

“I have fences all over my property,” Coss replied, “and I climb over them… I think you can. I think anybody can if they want to.”

In other cases Wednesday:

• Jeffrey Adkins, 28, Bainbridge, was sentenced to three years of community control and ordered to successfully complete a drug treatment program after pleading guilty to receiving stolen property, a fifth-degree felony.

• Dena Hatfield, 52, Greenfield, received the same sentence after pleading guilty to possession of heroin, a fifth-degree felony.

• Brandy Ketring, 43, Hillsboro, also received the same sentence after pleading guilty to possession of cocaine, and, in a separate case, illegal cultivation of marijuana, both fifth-degree felonies.

Reach David Wright at 937-402-2570, or on Twitter @DavidWrighter.

Elijah Cox-Burkard, center, sits with defense attorneys Lee Koogler, left, and Adam King in Highland County Common Pleas Court on Wednesday.
http://aimmedianetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/33/2017/05/web1_burkardcourt.jpgElijah Cox-Burkard, center, sits with defense attorneys Lee Koogler, left, and Adam King in Highland County Common Pleas Court on Wednesday.
Burglary, weapons charges could bring 19+ years

By David Wright

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