Leesburg woman sentenced to community control in vehicle theft case

Over three and a half years after being indicted, a Leesburg woman was sentenced to community control recently after pleading guilty to grand theft of a motor vehicle.

Shanda Jones, 48, of Leesburg was indicted in August 2020 on charges of escape, a fifth-degree felony, and grand theft of a motor vehicle, a fourth-degree felony.

The indictment alleged that in June 2020, Jones “did knowingly obtain or exert control over” a vehicle owned by the Greenfield Police Department. 

According to court records, Jones was arrested and served a copy of the indictment Dec. 29, 2023. She pleaded guilty to the vehicle theft charge Jan. 31, with the escape charge dismissed.

During a hearing March 13, Highland County Common Pleas Court Judge Rocky Coss sentenced Jones to three years of community control and ordered her to successfully complete a treatment program. 

Jones is also currently under supervision of the Fayette County Probation Department, after being sentenced in Fayette County Common Pleas Court in December on a fourth-degree felony heroin possession charge. She was sentenced in Fayette County to two years of community control and up to 180 days in the Monday Program and any aftercare, court records show.

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