COLDWATER, MI (WTVB) – Two of the four defendants accused by the Michigan Attorney General’s Office of being involved in a plot to kidnap, rape and kill a randomly selected child were sentenced Monday in Branch County Circuit Court.
David Lee Bailey of Coldwater, who will turn 38 on Sunday, and 33-year-old Talia Renee Furman of Springfield were both given concurrent sentences of 25-50 years after they entered guilty pleas to charges of conspiracy to commit first degree criminal sexual conduct and conspiracy to commit kidnapping.
In exchange for the guilty pleas, prosecutors from the Attorney General’s Office agreed to dismiss a conspiracy to commit murder charge against both defendants. Both were given credit for time already served which came out to 339 days for Furman and 338 days for Bailey.
They both have to testify against the other two co-defendants in the case and must register as sex offenders.
Furman’s sentence will run concurrent with her sentence in Calhoun County. She was sentenced in Calhoun County to 25 to 70 years for participating in the sexual abuse of a three month old baby after entering a no contest plea.
Bailey will not be eligible for probation.
Co-Defendant Jayme LaPoint entered guilty pleas to the same charges July 29 and is scheduled to be sentenced September 23, 2019. She will also be sentenced that day in a separate case after entering a guilty plea to first degree criminal sexual conduct.
Matthew Toole of Battle Creek is scheduled to go on trial October 22, 2019 on the three original charges. Three days have been blocked off the court docket for the trial.
All four suspects were arrested in September 2018 following a Michigan State Police investigation.
