Monroe County court issues multiple sentences, revocations and diversion orders during busy docket

MONROE COUNTY, Ky. — The Monroe County Circuit Court handled a packed criminal docket that produced several guilty pleas, multiple sentences and a string of revocations and program referrals at a session recorded in the transcript.

The most serious sentence recorded in the morning session came in Commonwealth v. Steven Chavez (24CR0087), in which a victim spoke and the court imposed an 11‑year term for vehicular homicide. The judge also ordered a concurrent 14‑day jail term on the DUI count. Judy Foster, speaking for the victim family, addressed the court about the death of Kya and said, “You are an evil person and you will always be known as a murderer to our sweet Kya,” urging the court to impose the gravest sentence permitted by law.

Why it matters: several cases resulted in multi‑year prison terms or revocations, while others were diverted to specialty court programs; the docket demonstrates the court balancing custody, community supervision and treatment referrals across a high volume of matters.

Key outcomes (inverted‑pyramid summary)

- Commonwealth v. Steven Chavez (24CR0087): The court imposed an 11‑year sentence on the vehicular homicide count (class B) and ordered 14 days to run concurrent with the DUI count; the court declined to consider probation. Judy Foster delivered a victim statement on behalf of the family.

- Commonwealth v. Dustin Cruz (case referenced 240055): The court revoked Cruz’s pretrial diversion after testimony from Walmart asset‑protection staff and police about an alleged shoplifting incident while he was on diversion. The transcript records the judge’s decision to revoke; no new term of incarceration was pronounced at that point in the transcript.

- Commonwealth v. Keith Gross (multiple indictments including 21CR0061 and 19CR0053): Gross entered guilty pleas under a negotiated agreement. The court accepted pleas and imposed an aggregate sentence described in court as nine years to serve (four years on one indictment and five years on another to run consecutively) with other case time to run concurrently; the transcript notes a child‑support debt of $11,128 and the forfeiture of a four‑wheeler seized by Tompkinsville police.

- Commonwealth v. Diego Morales (24CR0038): Morales pleaded guilty and was sentenced to a combined three years (one year on a methamphetamine possession count, two years on a fentanyl count) with credit for time served; the transcript records court costs and a probation/probation‑office reporting plan.

- Revocations and specialty‑court referrals: multiple defendants were ordered into or referred to the Monroe County specialty court (drug court) or had pretrial diversion terms imposed or revoked. Examples in the transcript include Kyra (Kyra/Kyra) Shockley (25CR0014) — accepted into a diversion/specialty‑court disposition — and other defendants who were ordered evaluated by KCPC (competency or behavioral health evaluations) or directed to treatment.

- Shock‑probation and revocation motions: the Commonwealth moved for revocation or shock‑probation revocation in several cases; the court set hearings or accepted stipulations in some matters and revoked shock probation in others where the record showed repeated supervision failures.

Details, process and evidence

- Witnesses and victim statements: the docket included victim impact testimony in the Chavez matter and employee testimony and surveillance evidence in the Cruz proceeding. John Webb, identified as a Walmart asset‑protection employee, described observing a shoplifting attempt and provided surveillance information to police; Officer Mitchell King (Glasgow Police Department) testified he received Walmart’s request for assistance, reviewed footage and applied for an arrest warrant.

- Probation and parole input: probation officers and a probation supervisor (Chase Collins) provided supervision histories and summarized violations or treatment progress; probation’s reports and the court’s view of supervision compliance were factors described by the judge when ruling on revocations.

- Treatment and evaluations: several cases were continued or referred for evaluation (KCPC) or treatment placement; defendants accepted into the Monroe specialty court were told they must be assessed and meet program entry requirements before some diversion terms would be finalized.

What the court did not do

- The transcript shows the court frequently set further negotiation or scheduling dates (commonly April 4 negotiation day and April 17 next court date) rather than resolving every indictment during the single session. In several matters the judge explicitly deferred final sentencing to allow probation’s pre‑sentence investigation or treatment assessment to be completed.

Quotes

- Victim statement (Judy Foster, speaking for Kya’s family): “The loss of Kya has left an irreplaceable void within our hearts and lives.”

- Walmart witness (John Webb, Walmart Asset Protection): Webb described the store’s video and the sequence he observed, telling the court he approached the subjects and “he becomes hostile with me, and they leave the premises.”

Looking ahead

- Several defendants were ordered to report to probation or to a treatment provider at dates and times set on the record; many cases were continued to the negotiated‑plea calendar and to April 4 and April 17 for further proceedings. The transcript also shows the court instructing probation and counsel to provide written orders for forfeitures or property dispositions when needed.

Notes and limits

- This article summarizes the cases and outcomes recorded in the provided docket transcript. It does not allege facts beyond what was stated in court: in several matters the transcript records only that a pretrial diversion was voided or revoked, or that a plea was entered; these items are reported here as described in the transcript, and where the transcript did not record a subsequent sentencing disposition, that absence is noted.