A 25-year-old Oregon woman has been sentenced to 19 months in prison for pepper spraying a couple who saw her stealing from their yard sale.
Katelyn Elizabeth Cantrell was stuffing clothes into a bag at a Portland yard sale in full view of the husband and wife, who decided to confront her.
Cantrell then doused the couple, whose names have not been released, with pepper spray and began chasing the husband around with a knife.
She only stopped after the couple’s adult son grabbed a shotgun from the house and pointed it at her.
Katelyn Elizabeth Cantrell, 25, has been sentenced to 19 months in prison or pepper spraying a couple who saw her stealing from their yard sale
The family called police and Cantrell was arrested near their home shortly afterwards. She was in possession of pepper spray and a folding knife.
Cantrell pleaded no contest to unlawful use of a weapon and fourth-degree assault on Wednesday.
Cantrell was stuffing clothes into a bag at a Portland yard sale in full view of the husband and wife, who decided to confront her
Multnomah County Circuit Judge Angel Lopez sentenced her to 19 months in prison.
‘You absolutely terrorized a family for no reason – other than you were in some kind of drug delirium,’ he told Cantrell. ‘That’s got to stop.’
Deputy District Attorney Shawn Overstreet said he was unwilling to agree to probation as part of Cantrell’s plea deal due to her past criminal history.
Cantrell was recently arrested for punching a Subway employee during an argument. Prosecutors did not press charges.
She has also been convicted of resisting arrest, attempted assault on a public safety officer, and interfering with a public safety officer, according to the Oregonian.
Authorities said Cantrell once kicked an officer and tried to bribe them after she was caught stealing from her father’s shed.
Her own mother has also filed a no-contact order against Cantrell, court records show.
Cantrell then doused the couple, whose names have not been released, with pepper spray and began chasing the husband with a knife
Cantrell told investigators that she is homeless and a methamphetamine user.
While she has asked for treatment at times, court records also show she has rejected getting treatment or a job.
‘I don’t agree with societal rules and s***,’ she once told authorities. ‘I’m born to be a camper.’
Overstreet called Cantrell a ‘danger’ to the community and said he hopes her sentencing is a reality check for the young woman.
‘I hope that Ms Cantrell hears that this could have been much worse,’ he said in court on Wednesday.
‘She could have been shot, possibly justifiably.’