MORGANTOWN — A man involved in a home invasion that left the victim with 13 staples will report to North Central Regional Jail to begin serving his sentence April 11.
Cody Beavers, 22, of Moorefield, previously pleaded guilty to wanton endangerment involving a firearm, a felony, and battery, a misdemeanor.
At Tuesday’s sentencing hearing Monongalia County Circuit Judge Susan Tucker sentenced Beavers to serve one year in the regional jail for battery and two years in the state penitentiary for wanton endangerment involving a firearm, suspended for two years of probation. The sentences will run consecutively, and the year in jail will be served first.
Beavers will also pay restitution to the victim in an amount yet to be determined. His attorney, John Brooks, said there were questions about which medical bills were his client’s responsibility.
Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Brandon Benchoff agreed to the review of medical records.
Beavers apologized to the court, the state and the victim.
“What I did that day was not right,” he said. “I’m truly sorry.”
All of the actors in the case agree on the facts – up to a point, Benchoff said.
Ricki Antonucci, 20, was sentenced to two years probation for her role in the May home invasion and Cody Lewis, 22, pleaded guilty to wanton endangerment with a firearm. Lewis has yet to be sentenced.
Beavers, Lewis and Antonucci drove to the victim’s house to recover property that they believed the victim stole. After forcing their way into the victim’s home, the property was discovered in the living room, but the three went to the victim’s bedroom, where he was pulled from bed and beaten. Benchoff said Beavers then placed a gun to the victim’s head, but Antonucci stopped any further escalation at that point.
Benchoff said at the scene Beavers made unsolicited comments to the police such as saying he had beaten the victim and “That’s what happens when you steal.” The comments were found during reviews of body camera footage.
The victim’s blood was found on Beaver’s clothes and hands, and he told police during an interview that when he saw the stolen goods he “snapped,” Benchoff said.
He said the state did not believe Beavers was truly sorry for his actions as he tried to downplay his role in the presentence investigation report; where Beavers said he only struck the victim with a handgun once, rather than “at least seven,” times, as the victim claims. Benchoff said the evidence showed Beavers was the most violent of the three.
In light of the statements at the scene and the downplaying of his role in the report, Benchoff asked that Beavers be incarcerated.
Tucker said she could not ignore the harm done. However, she did not believe Beavers was penitentiary material and allowed him to self-report to jail in a week so he can get his affairs in order; in consideration of his youth and lack of criminal record.
