Woman gets 14 to 40 years for shootout with police

Thursday, Aug. 25, 2005 | 9:23 a.m.

A judge said although he believed a 21-year-old woman who shot at police while her fugitive boyfriend led the officers on a high-speed chase was "naive and gullible" the seriousness nature of her crimes required him to sentence her to 14 to 40 years in prison on Wednesday.

District Judge Lee Gates while he understood that 31-year-old Kentro Taylor "exercised control over " April Jones he gave Jones the same sentence as he did Taylor on Aug. 14.

The judge said it was " a miracle you're still alive and weren't killed" as he explained Jones had to serve substantial prison time because there was "nothing to say that someone else won't talk you (Jones) into doing this again."

A Clark County jury found Taylor guilty of seven counts of attempted murder of a police officer and one count each of conspiracy to commit murder, possession of stolen property and failure to stop for an officer in connection with the Feb. 18 pursuit.

Jones, however, never went to trial and instead pleaded guilty to the same charges as Taylor.

Chief Deputy District Attorney Frank Coumou has said that Taylor and Jones were acting as a modern-day Bonnie and Clyde, working together during the chase, endangering not only police officers, but also other motorists and pedestrians along the streets where the chase took place.

In court Wednesday Coumou said it was Jones' taste in men that ultimately led to her demise.

"She (Jones) certainly has a terrific family that has been supportive of her and that speaks well of her, but I can't say the same for her choice of men," Coumou said.

Jones, standing in chains with her short hair braided, spoke briefly.

"I'm sorry, I know I was wrong for doing what I did," Jones said.

Jones' attorney, Brian Bloomfield, said Jones was "not the monster the media has made her out to be" as he argued for a less severe prison sentence. He said Jones had been a "young, good hearted individual, but that's before she met Mr. Taylor."

Bloomfield said Jones had no criminal history whatsoever and if it wasn't for falling in love with her first boyfriend, Taylor, she would still have no record.

"He (Taylor) was her first boyfriend, the first male in her life that gave her attention and love, and she would do anything an everything for him," Bloomfield said.

The defense attorney said once Taylor realized Jones was "infatuated" with him, Taylor began abusing her and even "tried to drown her and pointed a weapon on her and demand things sexually from her."

Bloomfield said even though Jones' family warned her about Taylor, "his (Taylor) grasp was extremely tight." He said Jones' family sent Jones a bus ticket so she could come back to Louisiana, but "Kentro (Taylor) wouldn't let her leave."

Bloomfield said Jones didn't come to Las Vegas voluntarily, but she instead was forced to hit the road because Taylor was wanted on murder charges in Louisiana.

Taylor was a murder suspect in Louisiana when police from Metro's fugitive detail spotted him in Las Vegas in February. Taylor was visiting a pregnant ex-girlfriend in Las Vegas.

He is to be sent to face the Louisiana charges after his appeals in the Las Vegas case have been resolved.

As for Jones, Bloomfield said the former "cabaret dancer" who dropped out of the 10th grade after being assaulted by several male classmates, hopes to get her high school diploma and work towards becoming a hairdresser while in prison.