A Morgantown woman will spend two years on probation for her role in a May home invasion.
Ricki Antonucci, 20, previously pleaded no contest to conspiracy to commit a felony. Thursday, Monongalia County Circuit Court Judge Susan Tucker sentenced her to 1-5 years in jail, suspended for two years of probation.
Antonucci was also ordered to pay $2,000 in reparations to the victim, $50 to the Victim Advocates Fund and $50 to Day Report, and complete 150 hours of community service.
Antonucci, who has no criminal history, was trying to get back items that were stolen from her apartment when she went to the victim’s apartment with Cody Beavers and Cody Lewis, her attorney,
Ed Rollo, said. The victim was beaten during the break-in, but Antonucci did not attack him.
“I’d like to start off by apologizing,” Antonucci told the court.
She said the death of her mom two years prior to the incident affected her and she started smoking marijuana to cope, but said she never used hard drugs. Antonucci spoke about how her dad was in and out of jail and when she spent her first night in jail, how she was ashamed and afraid.
She asked that her sentence include just a $10,000 fine and community service.
Monongalia County Prosecuting Attorney Brandon Benchoff said the state was leaving the sentencing up to the court. He also informed the court how the May 7 crime affected the life of the victim.
Benchoff said the victim was evicted while still in the hospital following the incident because his landlord “didn’t want that kind of trouble.”
Since then, the victim has been essentially homeless, staying with friends, bouncing from place to place. When the victim didn’t move his vehicle fast enough after being evicted, it was towed. He could not afford to get it back so it was later sold.
The victim also lost his job as a bouncer, where he worked with Antonucci. His mother, an immigrant living in New Jersey, can’t afford to help her son or even afford to visit, Benchoff said.
“This is a serious incident that affected his life,” Benchoff said.
Tucker suggested that Antonucci seek counseling to help her cope with the death of her mother in the least destructive way and ordered the reparations to help with the pain, suffering and anguish
caused.
“You really have changed this man’s life,” she said.
