Jeff man receives six years for after being convicted of three felonies

Clark County

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September 21, 2012

Jeff man receives six years for after being convicted of three felonies

By GARY POPP gary.popp@newandtribune.com The News and Tribune Fri Sep 21, 2012, 06:05 PM EDT

CLARK COUNTY — A Jeffersonville man convicted last month of attempting to abduct a 24-year-old woman outside of Clarkville’s Blackiston Bowl in 2010 was sentenced to six years in prison Friday.

Peter Allen Roberts Sr., 49, was found guilty by a jury Aug. 23 on a charge of intimidation, a class D felony, battery committed by means of a deadly weapon or resulting in serious bodily injury, a class C felony, and criminal confinement, a class D felony.

Before Clark County Circuit Court No. 4 Judge Daniel Moore read the sentencing, the court heard from 12 pre-sentencing character witnesses called to testify by Roberts’ lawyer, Andrew Adams.

Those who spoke in favor of Roberts’ high character included his wife, ex-wife, sister, pastor, two brothers-in-law and friends.

The witnesses stated that the charges Roberts had been convicted of are out of character for the good-natured man who has a history of helping those in the community.

The conviction and subsequent sentencing follows his attempt of putting Elizabeth Davey into the cabin of his pickup truck outside of the bowling alley about 2:30 a.m. in October 2010.

He was accused of putting a knife to Davey’s throat as he forced her into his vehicle, cutting her neck and shoulder areas and placing a rope noose around her neck.

The testimony of Davey and Roberts both included the scene coming to an abrupt end when two men, who had been alerted of the commotion, opened the door of the truck and the woman rushing out.

Until moments before his sentencing, Roberts maintained his innocence, stating that he was only trying to help the woman, and that he wanted to get her to the safety of his truck.

He testified during the trial that he found the girl lying in the parking lot and he was intending on calling police after she was inside his truck.

Davey claimed that he had picked her up from behind soon after she walked out of the bowling alley, and despite pleading for her life and fighting to escape, Roberts shoved her into the truck.

Roberts will spend less than half of the maximum of 14 years in the Indiana Department of Correction he could have been sentenced.