Syracuse, NY - A Syracuse woman admitted in court today to trying to intimidate a young girl into dropping allegations she was sexually molested by the woman’s boyfriend. Shannon Fellows, 42, of Mary Street, pleaded guilty before state Supreme Court Justice John Brunetti to a felony count of third-degree intimidating a victim in a deal calling for her to be...
Syracuse, NY - A Syracuse woman admitted in court today to trying to intimidate a young girl into dropping allegations she was sexually molested by the woman’s boyfriend.
Shannon Fellows, 42, of Mary Street, pleaded guilty before state Supreme Court Justice John Brunetti to a felony count of third-degree intimidating a victim in a deal calling for her to be sentenced to five years’ probation.
But Brunetti said if he cannot impose a probationary penalty at sentencing Oct. 4, Fellows would be allowed to withdraw her guilty plea. The judge noted he had been reluctant to accept the prosecution plea deal until hearing last week from the county Social Services worker involved in the case.
The prosecution reported it was okay with the deal because the victim did not want to see Fellows go to jail.
Assistant District Attorney Andrew Tarkowski today said Fellows verbally threatened the victim in July 2009 to get her to recant her allegations against Robert Katura. Fellows then pressured the girl into writing a letter this past March recanting her allegations, the prosecutor said.
Katura 37, listing addresses in Syracuse and Canastota, pleaded guilty in May to first-degree rape in the case and has been sentenced to serve 12 years in state prison.