XENIA — The alleged leader of the “Twack Pack” crime ring was sentenced to 16 years in prison Thursday for her roles in the group’s activities in Greene County about a year ago. Theresa Kennedy, 34, of Fairborn, is the second of two members of the group to be sent to prison for crimes in the county.
Earlier this month, Kevin Palmer, 26, was also sentenced to 16 years in prison for his roles with the group in Greene County.
According to Sugarcreek Township Police Detective Lesley Stayer, the group operated in the greater Dayton area by stealing checks, credit cards, birth certificates, social security cards and other identity information to sell to purchase meth from a producer nicknamed “Methgyver.” According to Stayer, Kennedy was involved in several forms of identity theft via marriage licenses, credit cards and tax forms.
Kennedy pleaded guilty to 13 of 21 charges against her in Greene County in December 2015 as part of a plea deal, including an engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity charge, as well as burglary, theft, forgery and receiving stolen property charges, among others.
“[Kennedy] was quite a little criminal,” Stayer said in a previous interview with this newspaper. “It’s not just a dirtbag breaking in to get a TV to sell for heroin. This was kind of a little more thought out.”
Prior to Judge Michael Buckwalter reading Kennedy’s sentencing entry Thursday, her attorney apologized to the victims on her behalf and described her as having “some significant mental health issues as far as the way she thinks.”
“She clearly was not thinking straight,” defense attorney Chris Beck said. “Her record speaks for itself as far as this is not the kind of thing, a spree that goes on, but for the drugs and underlying mental health issues.”
Kennedy declined to speak during the hearing.
One of the victims in the case spoke at the hearing and testified about the effects of having several items, including a vehicle, stolen from her family’s house.
“The greatest thing they stole that day was our sense of safety in our own home,” she said. “To this day nearly a year later, we all still have issues with being home alone.”
She also said that Kennedy’s son was involved in the crimes, which Stayer confirmed.
“She dragged a 16-year-old boy into her pathetic lifestyle and enamored him with the ease of violating innocent citizens so much so that the boy made a statement to our detective that, ‘This was the best time of his life,’ ” the victim said.
Kennedy was also ordered to pay about $19,000 in restitution to the victims.
Kennedy was sentenced to serve eight years in prison in December 2015 for theft, breaking and entering, burglary, forgery, identity fraud and receiving stolen property charges in Montgomery County, according to court records.