Taxi driver pleads guilty to imprisonment
Published 10:39 am Friday, December 13, 2019
- Johnny Barnett
A Winchester man pleaded guilty to holding a woman against her will while he worked as a taxi driver earlier this year.
Johnny Barnett, 44, of 18 Finley Road, was arrested March 3 by Winchester Police for first-degree unlawful imprisonment.
Thursday, Barnett pleaded guilty to the lone charge in Clark Circuit Court. Prosecutors recommended a sentence of one year in prison and two years on probation. If convicted, the maximum sentence would be five years.
Barnett said in court he was close to completing his first year of his sentence already.
According to court documents, Barnett was working for Nutter Taxi and had picked up a female March 3. The woman told police Barnett handed her a note which said, “If you panic or scream I’m gonna hurt you.” She also said Barnett tried to lock the doors and force her to stay in the vehicle.
The woman was able to get out of the vehicle and call police.
Barnett is scheduled to be sentenced Feb. 6, 2020. He was returned to jail following court Thursday.
Fred Petke is a reporter for The Winchester Sun, the Jessamine Journal and the State Journal. His beats include cops, courts, fire, public records, city and county government and other news. To contact Fred, email fred.petke@bluegrassnewsmedia.com or call 859-759-0051.
More by Fred
