Cobb pleads guilty to terroristic threatening

 

 

UK junior free safety Ashton Cobb pleaded guilty to third-degree terroristic threatening in Fayette County District Court on Tuesday.

Judge Julie Goodman sentenced Cobb to 12 months to two years of adult supervision probation along with anger management classes. He is also not allowed to contact the victim.

Once anger management classes are complete, the probation will shift to a contract, meaning a probation officer will no longer monitor Cobb, but Cobb must still follow the probation’s terms: He may not contact the victim or break the law. If he violates the probation’s terms, he will serve 12 months in prison.

Cobb was arrested on Sept. 26 for sending 15 text messages and making 19 phone calls to his ex-girlfriend over a three-hour span, according to Lexington Police. During one voicemail, he threatened to kill and rape the woman, police said.

Charges of second-degree stalking and harassing communications were merged into the terroristic threatening charge.

UK spokesman Tony Neely said Cobb would not face any additional punishment from UK head coach Rich Brooks.

“From a disciplinary standpoint, Coach Brooks addressed the situation five months ago,” Neely said. “As long as (Cobb) satisfactorily carries out his responsibilities, he will be a member of the team.”

Fayette County prosecutor Noel Caldwell, who prosecuted the case, said the charges were merged in exchange for a guilty plea of terroristic threatening.

“We looked at the evidence we had against (Cobb) and conceded that he did threaten her,” Caldwell said. “The evidence was there and if it went through a jury trial, that evidence would have been presented. We had record of these threats.”

Defense attorney Jim Lowry was out of town Tuesday afternoon and unavailable to comment. Caldwell confirmed that Lowry was in court with Cobb in front of Judge Goodman in the Fayette District Court at 8:30 a.m. Tuesday.

“All parties agreed that it was the right result,” Caldwell said. “If we take this to trial, what’s the chances of being found guilty? A lot of times, the defendants have to look at that chance. With this case, the right result came out.”

Cobb played in 11 games for the Cats in 2008, finishing the season with 37 tackles, eighth-best on the team. Cobb scored the Cats’ first touchdown of the season, a fumble return against Louisville on Sept. 2. He was suspended for two games during the season immediately following his arrest, but he was reinstated for the Oct. 11 game against South Carolina.