East Texas

By CASEY KNAUPP
Staff Writer

A 28-year-old Whitehouse man was sentenced Thursday to eight years probation in a plea agreement for firing a gun during a standoff with Smith County sheriff deputies.

Kenny Ryan McGlaun pleaded guilty to aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, a second-degree felony for which he faced the possibility of two to 20 years in prison.

Prosecutors and McGlaun’s defense attorney Don Davidson entered into a plea agreement and 241st District Judge Jack Skeen Jr. followed their recommendations, sentencing McGlaun to eight years deferred adjudication probation.

If McGlaun successfully completes the probation, the felony charge will be wiped from his record.

Smith County Sheriff’s Lieutenant Craig Shelton said McGlaun and a friend were together Feb. 22 at the victim’s home on County Road 2171, or Willingham Road, to share some alcohol and do some practice shooting until things went wrong. The victim reportedly became fearful for his life and ran to a neighbor’s home, where he called 911, he said.

Shelton said when the first officer arrived on the scene shortly after 2:30 p.m., McGlaun was standing in the driveway armed with a rifle.

“He turned from the officer and fired a few shots,” he said.

Backup was called and deputies and Whitehouse officers arriving on the scene quickly set up a perimeter. Deputies trained in SWAT tactics surrounded the home and waited. Shelton said McGlaun began shooting in the house and shot multiple windows out of the home.

A negotiator was eventually able to talk him out of the house and he was arrested without further incident, he said.

Assistant Smith County district attorneys Joe Murphy and Zach Davis prosecuted the case.

Staff writer Kenneth Dean contributed to this report.