Dexter man pleads guilty to charges from hostage situation

BLOOMFIELD, Mo. — A Dexter man charged in conjunction with a December hostage situation pleaded guilty Monday.

Judge Stephen Sharp sentenced Toby Lacy to serve six years in prison after he pleaded guilty to the Class C felony of felonious restraint.

Lacy, 30 of Dexter, called 911 one Sunday afternoon in December from a residence northwest of Dexter's city limits and told the operator that law enforcement had 10 minutes to come pick him up or he was "going to start killing people."

As deputies began arriving on the scene and informing neighbors to stay indoors until instructed otherwise, emergency dispatchers began making telephone contact with Lacy, who stated he was armed with a firearm and was going to kill his three hostages whom he was keeping in the back room.

Stoddard County Sheriff's Department Deputy Andy Harris said in his statement on file with the court that he also spoke on the telephone with Lacy, who reportedly stated that he "wanted to go back to prison" and "if I shoot one of them I can go back."

Lacy's stepfather then arrived on scene and said that Lacy had been arguing with his mother earlier in the day and that she told him to leave. He said Lacy then became upset and told them he was going to take a toy pistol and point it at the officers to force them to shoot him.

When Sheriff Carl Hefner arrived on scene, the dispatchers again made contact with Lacy who reportedly stated that he "would surrender if the Sheriff promises the dog (on scene) won't bite."

Hefner and Harris then approached the front door of the residence and Lacy exited with his hands in the air and placed a black handgun on the trunk of a vehicle in the driveway.

A deputy then seized the weapon, which was found to be an air pistol, capable of firing only pellets.

According to a statement from one of the hostages, at no point was the weapon pointed at any of the hostages, although Lacy would not let them leave the residence.

According to information obtained from Missouri CaseNet, Lacy pleaded guilty in 2000 to the Class C felony of second degree arson. He was given a seven-year suspended sentence but had his probation revoked for leaving the scene of an accident in June 2001 and served his sentence.