Sentencing in Athens kidnapping, torturing case

HENDERSON COUNTY – Five people accused in the 2022 kidnapping and torture of a woman found in Athens were each sentenced to 10 years deferred adjudication after either pleading guilty or nolo contendere to engaging in organized criminal activity, according to our news partners at KETK. Six people have been charged in the case, with the sixth person set to start pre-trial on March 19. All of them were initially arrested for aggravated kidnapping and later indicted for engaging in organized criminal activity. They were accused of holding a woman they had met online against her will in a home for a week as she was “severely tortured.”

The woman was reportedly from out-of-state, and came to stay with the group for a while and when she wanted to leave, they stopped her. Sheriff Botie Hillhouse said in an interview at the time, that during the week she was held, the woman was tortured and beaten.

Eventually she was able to escape, and found at a local business pleading for help less than a half-mile from the home.

According to documents, the woman said she was made to call members of the group “Master,” had cigarettes put out on her and was beat with a walking cane and various items.
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The five people listed below received the following sentences for engaging in organized criminal activity in the case:

Summer Lawrence, 47, pleaded guilty and sentenced to 10 years deferred adjudication, ordered to pay a fine of $3,000 and a lifetime protective order was issued
Amanda Andrews, 24, pleaded nolo contedere, sentenced to 10 years deferred adjudication with 500 hours of community service and ordered to pay a fine of $3,000
Breonna Johnson, 24, pleaded guilty, sentenced to 10 years deferred adjudication
Felicity Walker, 24, pleaded nolo contedere, sentenced to 10 years deferred adjudication with 500 hours of community service and ordered to pay a fine of $3,000
Charles Bryant, 23, pleaded nolo contedere, sentenced to 10 years deferred adjudication with 500 hours of community service and ordered to pay a fine of $3,000

A plea of nolo contendere means “no contest” where a defendant does not accept or deny responsibility for the charges, but waives a right to a trial and agrees to the penalty.

All five were sentenced throughout February and the sixth person charged in this case, Shayne Anderson, 32, has his next hearing date set for March 19.