Utah beauty queen pleads to lesser charge in bottle bomb case
A Utah beauty queen pleaded guilty Thursday to a misdemeanor involving a plot to toss homemade bottle bombs around a Salt Lake City suburb.
Kendra McKenzie Gill, 18, the former Miss Riverton, and three other 18-year-olds entered a plea in abeyance and accepted a misdemeanor charge of attempted possession of a chemical device. The charges will be dismissed after each defendant completes 200 hours of community service, pays a $500 fine and stays out of trouble for 12 months.
Gill and the other teens -- John Patrick Reagh, Shanna Marie Smith and Bryce Christopher Stone -- entered their pleas in a packed Salt Lake courtroom. None spoke to reporters afterward, according to the Associated Press.
Originally, the four faced felony charges after driving around Riverton on the evening of Aug. 2 for what they maintained was a prank that involved tossing plastic bottles containing a mixture of aluminum foil and toilet bowl cleaner. No one was injured by the devices.
Each defendant had faced four felony counts of second-degree possession of an explosive device. Each count carried a penalty of up to 15 years in prison upon conviction. None of the defendants had a criminal history.
Gill gave up her crown after the arrest.
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