Man sentenced for role in ’17 death

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A 58-year-old Crothersville man was sentenced to 10 years in prison for his role in the death of a Salem man.

Darrell Stanton was sentenced on Level 5 felony charges of reckless homicide and intimidation with a deadly weapon in connection with the 2017 death of 35-year-old Dustin Robbins. That was handed down Friday by Jackson Circuit Court Judge Richard W. Poynter.

Stanton and prosecutors reached a plea agreement earlier this month days before his murder trial was to begin. The plea agreement dismissed a murder charge and a Level 2 felony charge of voluntary manslaughter.

Prosecutors felt the state would have had difficulty proving whether Stanton knowingly or intentionally pulled the trigger. Prosecutors added the intimidation charge to the agreement because Stanton threatened Robbins with the gun.

The sentence stems from an April 5, 2017, altercation between Stanton and Robbins at a mobile home southeast of Dudleytown that led to Robbins’ death.

The incident began when Stanton arrived at the mobile home intoxicated and found Robbins and his wife there with Robbins’ mother, who was in a relationship with Stanton, according to court documents.

The two were trying to convince her to leave Stanton because they and other family members believed he had abused her. Robbins had confronted Stanton at the home the day before while his mother was in the hospital.

When Stanton found the three at home, he confronted and threatened Robbins with a shotgun, investigators said.

The two walked outside the residence, and the confrontation continued. That’s when Robbins’ wife came behind Stanton and tried to take the shotgun away from him and a struggle began.

Robbins then grabbed the gun and hit Stanton over the head with the butt of the shotgun, police said.

He then went to the ground and grabbed the gun when the trigger went off, striking Robbins in the chest.

Jackson County Prosecutor Jeff Chalfant said his office consulted Robbins’ family before the agreement was made.

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