A Jones County man charged with three counts of aggravated assault received a sentence of 20 years following his entry of a guilty plea in Superior Court.
Joshua Andrew Samples was sentenced to five years to serve as part of the negotiated plea that was entered April 14 and accepted by Superior Court Judge Terry Massey.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Cara Fiore.
Samples was offered a public defender, but he chose to represent himself in the proceeding. The guilty plea was entered as an Alford plea, which meant he did not admit his guilt to the crime but felt it was his best option to obtain a lower sentence than if the case went to trial.
The defendant was on the upcoming trial calendar and was facing a maximum of 60 years in prison if a jury found him guilty.
The April 14 sentencing document states Samples received 20 years each for the three counts of aggravated assault. The counts are to run concurrently for a total of 20 years with the first five years served in confinement. The remainder of the sentence is to be served on probation.
A report of incident leading to Samples arrest states Jones County Sheriff Office Deputy Daniel Shurley was dispatched to a call on Sun Valley Court April 9, 2021, in reference to aggravated assault. The officer said he spoke to the three victims upon his arrival and found out that Samples was the boyfriend of one of them. The two others were the girlfriend’s aunt and cousin.
Shurley said Samples and the girlfriend got into an argument and it got physical. The deputy said the complainant told him she was struck in the face and then went inside the house.
He said she told him she came back with a knife and confronted Samples, who responded by pulling out a pistol and threatening to shoot her.
The girlfriend said she got into her vehicle with the two other victims, and as she pulled out of the driveway, Samples fired at her car, hitting the rear bumper three times. It was reported that after firing at the car, the offender left the scene in a white Honda.
Shurley said he observed five spent 9mm shell casings in the road and three bullet holes in the vehicle the girlfriend was driving. The deputy said he made contact with a neighbor whose outside camera captured the incident.
The deputy said the shell casings were photographed and collected. He said the casings and the video were placed into evidence and a warrant was taken out for Samples for three counts of aggravated assault.
Samples was taken into custody April 26, 2021.
