By: Lydia Crawley
The Parsons Advocate
Trenton DiBartolomeo, appeared before Judge Steven Shaffer in the Tucker County 22nd Circuit Court June 18th to be sentenced on five counts from a May 4th plea agreement. He was accompanied by his attorney Jeremy Cooper. Tucker County Prosecuting Attorney Savannah Hull Wilkins represented the prosecution.
Under the plea agreement, DiBartolomeo plead guilty to one count of DUI in court. The other counts were to be under a suspended sentencing agreement. The DUI charge was given a 6 month sentence in jail with a $500 fine.
DiBartolomeo saw his remaining counts suspended under seven years probation with GPS monitored home confinement. The felony burglary charge was given 1-15 years, the two counts of felony strangulation were given 1-5 years consecutive and the felony conspiracy was given 1-5 years and a $1,000 fine consecutive. Judge Shaffer also said that he would recommend, should DiBartolomeo violate parole, that he serve the full sentence of 30 years.
“I’m doing this because of the State’s recommendation,” Judge Shaffer said. “The victim believes it will bring the family together.”
However, another reason existed for the sentences. Wilkins said that the victim feared for his safety and wanted the longest supervision over the defendants as possible. With a parole board, there was always the possibility that the defendants would be back on the streets in a couple of years, she said. With the seven years probation, the victim is assured of protection for as long as possible.
“(They) would come up for parole far sooner than if we have (them) under our supervision,” Wilkins said.
DiBartolomeo spoke in Court. He blamed his actions that night on a “drinking problem” and said that it cost him everything, including his family and a 15 year career. However, he said he had been sober for 14 months and looked forward to continued sobriety.
“This isn’t me,” DiBartolomeo said. “I have a drinking problem, a real drinking problem…I did things that I shouldn’t. I lost more than most do in a lifetime. There is no one’s more sorry than me.”
Levi McCauley was sentenced as well on June 18th by Judge Shaffer. He appeared in Court along with his attorney Todd LeNeve. Tucker County Prosecuting Attorney Savannah Hull Wilkins represented the prosecution. McCauley’s sentencing stemmed from a December 10, 2025 plea agreement in Tucker County Circuit Court.
Under the plea agreement, McCauley plead guilty to one count of felony Burglary. All other counts in his case were dismissed. Judge Shaffer sentenced McCauley to 1-15 years, suspended for seven years probation with GPS monitored home confinement. As with DiBartolomeo, Judge Shaffer made it clear that if McCauley breaks parole, he will recommend that McCauley serve the full 15 years of his sentence.
“The parole board needs to know what happened there that night with a cord around his neck,” Judge Shaffer said.
McCauley spoke in court and said that he would like to be given a chance to prove to the world that he is not who everyone thinks he is. He also said he only wants to do things right.
“I would like to be given the chance to prove to everybody that I’m not the person they make me out to be,” McCauley said.
Crystal Hensley was the last of the defendants in the case to be sentenced June 18th. She appeared in Court with her attorney James Hawkins. Tucker County Prosecuting Attorney Savannah Hull Wilkins represented the prosecution.
In a plea agreement on April 14th, Hensley plead guilty to three counts. On one count of felony burglary, Judge Shaffer sentenced Hensley to 1-15 years; on one count of felony conspiracy, she was sentenced to 1-5 years and to one count of misdemeanor battery, she was sentenced to 1 year and a $500 fine, with all to be served consecutively. As with the others, Judge Shaffer suspended the sentence for 7 years of probation, but made it clear that if probation was violated he would recommend that the full 21 years be served.
“It is a very, very serious case,” Judge Shaffer said. “We could just as easily be sitting here with a murder charge. What would have happened if he had a heart attack that night?”
Hensley spoke in Court of taking responsibility for her actions in a brief statement.
“I’m sorry about everything that happened and I hold responsibility for it,” Hensley said.
During the hearing, Wilkins said that the victim has not informed any of his family where he has moved to out of fear. The attack has also left him with flashbacks and trust issues, she said. Of DiBartolomeo, Wilkins said, “There is enough evidence he should be looking at life.” However, she said that is not what the victim wanted. He just wanted it to be over and for his family to heal because it had been divided in two following the attack and arrests.
Judge Shaffer read to the Court from the Victim Impact Statement. In it, the victim requested the longest amount of time possible for his own personal safety.
“I fear for my safety and want the longest supervision possible,” Judge Shaffer read.
Judge Shaffer also noted the impact the case will have on everyone involved in the case.
“The victim and the people involved will live with this the rest of their lives,” Judge Shaffer said.
Wilkins, who was prepared to play the audio of the case, only quoted from it. According to Wilkins, in the audio, Trenton DiBartolomeo can be heard threatening the victim, “I will tie you up and find the money. I will break a finger every 15 minutes.” The money in question was disputed to have been stolen by the victim from the grandmother of the DiBartolomeo brothers, according to the defendants and was the sole reason for the four defendants being at the victim’s home that night.
McCauley said he was the one who untied the victim. However, Wilkins said the recording is said to have McCauley’s voice, “You know why I’m here? I’m here to hold him back.”
During McCauley’s sentencing, several character witnesses spoke on his behalf. First was Harrison Cummings of Cummings Construction. Cummings said he had been McCauley’s employer since September of 2020 and found him to be, “the most dependable, most reliable person who has ever worked for us” and added, “I wish we had five or six of him.” Cummings also commented that he was genuinely shocked by what happened.
Next was Adam Schneider, a pastor and McCauley’s weight lifting partner. He said he met McCauley seven years ago and tried to get him to go to church for six years. Schneider claimed there has been a change in McCauley over the past six months.
“There’s a big change. We’ve been having more conversations on what it means to become a man,” Schneider said.
Schneider said all four defendants were parents and that the assault never should have happened.
“All four were parents, they should have been in bed getting ready for work,” Schneider said. “This never should have happened. Levi has agreed.”
Last to speak was McCauley’s mother, Denese Saltis. She said that he had shown more promise in the past six months than he ever had in the past. She called him a hard worker and said that he always worked hard whenever she needed him.
Judge Shaffer applauded McCauley for attending Church, but said that what happened that night was “uncivilized.”
“If we did not have civil laws, we would have an uncivilized world,” Judge Shaffer said. “When people show up at your house in the middle of the night, tie cords around you and strangle you, this is what an uncivilized world looks like.”
Judge Shaffer also said during the day’s proceedings that he wished that the Court had been filled with the family of the defendants so that they could hear the details of the case and know exactly what transpired that night. He also said he was disappointed that it did not happen.
Of the four defendants, the victim only knew two, the DiBartolomeo brothers. McCauley and Hensley were in a relationship, according to Wilkins and McCauley was a friend of the DiBartolomeos. Hensley had no connection, other than McCauley.
During McCauley’s hearing, Schneider said there had even been talk of marriage between McCauley and Hensley. Hensley’s attorney, Hawkins, even brought up the no contact order and the fact that his client and McCauley were in a relationship. Hawkins further enquired about the possibility of lessening the restrictions on Hensley and McCauley’s order to allow them to continue the relationship unhindered in the future, but acknowledged that he knew it would be some time before anything like that could be arranged. Judge Shaffer said that “today is not the day to ask for that.” In fact, even the DiBartolomeo brothers are barred from contacting each other under the terms of the probation.
“This is a life changing event,” Judge Shaffer said. You have a family split.”
Wilkins said during Hensley’s hearing that Hensley plead guilty to holding a knife to victim’s throat. Wilkins called Hensley’s enthusiasm during the assault “disturbing” as the victim begs for help and quoted from a transcript of the audio. “Every time you look away from me, you’re going to pay for it,” Wilkins read from the transcript.
“Her enthusiasm and willingness to jump right into the violence is quite disturbing,” Wilkins said.
Judge Shaffer commented on the knife.
“I can’t imagine having a knife like that against someone’s throat. What is going through someone’s mind,” Judge Shaffer said.
All three defendants are jointly responsible for $7,700 in restitution and they are prohibited from owning or possessing firearms. All three defendants are also under a no contact order that prohibits them from contacting each other and the victim.
Cory DiBartolomeo entered into a Deferred Adjudication agreement January 7th in which he plead guilty to one count of felony Conspiracy. However, due to the terms of the agreement, adjudication of the charge will be deferred in lieu of three years probation under the court determined terms. If probation is successfully completed, at the end of the three years, he can motion to withdraw the plea with objection by the State.