HAZARD – The final two defendants alleged to have taken part in a scheme to steal thousands of dollars from a local business have pleaded guilty.

Jerry “Yad” Hurt, 50, of Bonnyman, and 33-year-old Sharon Hensley of Hazard, were indicted in June 2012 after police charged them with taking part in the theft of over $17,000 from the Hazard U Bet near Dawhare Drive. Hurt entered a plea in Perry Circuit Court on Jan. 30 to one count of theft by unlawful taking over $10,000, while Hensley pleaded guilty Thursday afternoon.

Both were charged in the case along with Christianne Clemons and Hiram Noble of Breathitt County. Clemons was an employee of U Bet at the time, and reported to police that she had been robbed on April 4 while taking a deposit from the business to a local bank.

Officers with the Hazard Police Department later determined that Clemons was involved in the theft, and eventually charged four people in total, each with one count of theft over $10,000. Clemons was also charged with falsely reporting an incident.

In exchange for his guilty plea made last week, Hurt, who is currently lodged in a facility in Lexington, could serve up to five years in prison. He will also be required to pay restitution in an amount to be determined at his sentencing on March 14.

Hensley was charged in two subsequent cases with escape, once after she allegedly absconded while on home incarceration, and a second time after she was alleged to have attempted to escape during transport. She pleaded guilty to one count of theft and two counts of escape in exchange for a sentence of seven years to serve. She will also be sentenced on March 14.

Clemons and Noble entered guilty pleas in their cases this past November, and were sentenced in December. Clemons will serve up to six years, while Noble will serve up to five years.