By Natalia Claburn
SACRAMENTO, CA – Defendant Marissa Costley is heading to county jail after being charged with—and pleading to—felony counts of car theft and assault likely to produce great bodily injury toward her father.
During Costley’s arraignment in Sacramento County Superior Court Thursday, prosecutor Heather Phillips explained the factual basis for the charges against the defendant by detailing the crimes in question, both of which occurred in Sacramento County.
On May 18, Costley’s first victim “heard a loud screeching sound, came outside, and his truck was gone and stolen,” stated Phillips.
She continued, detailing that “the defendant was contacted within the vehicle” presumably by law enforcement officers, and “admitted she took the truck, admitted that it was not hers, and she did not have the victim’s permission to take the truck.”
Then, on July 22, “law enforcement was dispatched out to the defendant’s parents’ house” due to a disruption report from an unspecified individual.
It was during this disturbance that Costley ended up allegedly “striking her father multiple times with force likely to produce great bodily injury.” Police arrived after the altercation, indicating that the defendant’s mother stepped in to stop the assault.
The defendant pleaded no contest to both charges, and Judge Patrick Marlette found her guilty of all charges for sentencing purposes. The reason for the dismissal of the defendant’s unnamed third charge was not clear.
A “stay-away order” for the residence of Costley’s parents was initially enacted after this incident due to the nature of the crime. Nevertheless, the parents made it clear that “they want her to be able to peacefully contact them” but she will not “be allowed to stay” at their home.
Judge Marlette sternly reminded the defendant that she must respect her parents’ wishes, saying that “even if you think you are right and they are wrong [concerning any disagreement that may ensue], you have to walk away or else you’re gonna have to go back to jail.”
Costley was also ordered to stay away from a different residence, the assumed location where the car theft occurred. However, there seemed to be a bit of a hiccup with this order because Costley explained that the second residence she was asked to stay away from is on her street.
Judge Marlette resolved the issue by simply saying, “just don’t walk on their side of the street.” Despite being near the residence, being on the opposite side of the street allows for Costley to abide by the stay-away order.
Marlette went on, stating, “I’m also gonna order that you do not have any controlled substances or narcotics or paraphernalia.”
Due to the nature of the crimes Costley committed, search and seizure at any time of the day, of her person or residence, and with or without the cooperation of Costley is allowed to be executed by any law enforcement officer.
Judge Marlette informed Costley that “car theft has a punishment of 16 months, two years, or three years in custody, and assault by means of force likely to produce great bodily injury has a punishment of two years, three years, or four years.”
However, due to the plea bargain, the sentence is just 364 days in county jail and two years formal probation. The defendant must also pay restitution fines to the first victim as well as her father.
Despite being sentenced to 364 days in county jail, Costley has 19 days of credit along with 18 days of conduct credit, bringing her total jail time left to 327 days with no further court proceedings.
