In January 2022, Crystal Smith was arrested by the Cadiz Police Department and charged with the second-degree burglary, possession of stolen property, first-offense possession of heroin and possession of drug paraphernalia, and all while on the premises of Trigg County Sheriff Aaron Acree’s family home.
Wednesday afternoon in front of Trigg County Circuit Court Judge Natalie White, the Cadiz woman said she was ready to put two years behind her and entered a guilty plea through her defense attorney, Marilyn Linsey Shrewsbury.
Bolstered by an agreement with the courts and the Commonwealth’s special prosecutor Dan Boaz, of Paducah, Smith received an amended charge of third-degree burglary, a Class D felony punishable by 1-to-5 years in prison, and was probated for 25 months.
White read aloud Smith’s original indictment, one handed down by the Trigg County grand jury March 9, 2022. And had Smith gone to trial and been convicted, the prosecution and the jury could have sought anywhere from 5-to-15 years in prison — depending on aggravators, and any argument for concurrent or consecutive service.
Smith told White the only thing that had impaired her decisions was the September 2021 death of her son, Kameron.
Meanwhile, Smith’s federal lawsuit — though amended — remains open against Acree and Trigg County Jailer James Hughes. In the original document, she claimed Acree and Hughes each violated her Fourth Amendment rights surrounding unreasonable seizure and excessive force, her Fifth Amendment rights of due process, and her Eighth Amendment right against cruel and unusual punishment.
Acree is accused of civil battery and civil assault, and both Acree and Hughes are charged with intentional infliction of emotional distress. Due process has been removed from the complaint, but false imprisonment against Hughes has been added.
Furthermore, on November 30, 2022, Acree was indicted on charges related to Smith: one count of official misconduct, one count of fourth-degree assault, and one count of third-degree terroristic threatening. A second count of official misconduct is allegedly unrelated to this incident.
A jury trial for Acree is currently scheduled for 9 AM November 30 in Trigg County District Court.
