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Shopkeeper sent to prison for indecent exposure

Michael Anthony Ford

By Lightning Reports, Published: February 5, 2024

Three habitual offenders were sent to prison last week after pleading guilty to multiple offenses, District Attorney R. Andrew Murray announced.

Called to stand trial as a two-week criminal court session got under way, all three defendants reversed course, withdrew their not guilty pleas and pleaded guilty. All were sentenced to significant active prison terms. Superior Court Judge William “Bill” Stetzer handed down active habitual felon sentences for each defendant. To qualify as a habitual offender, the defendant must have three separate and distinct prior felony convictions before committing the felony they’re currently on trial for.

• Michael Anthony Ford, 58, of Hendersonville, owner of the Gypsy Heart shop on Main Street, on the date of his offense in 2020, was charged with exposing his genitals to a 10-year-old girl, along with the habitual offender charge. The brazen crime occurred in Ford’s shop while the girl’s mother had briefly stepped outside to take a phone call. When his case was called for trial on Jan. 30, Ford did not appear in court and could not be located by his defense attorney. As a result of Ford absconding, Judge Stetzer issued an order for his immediate arrest and placed him under a $200,000 bond. Henderson County sheriff’s deputies found Ford and placed him under arrest by midnight the same day. Two days later, Ford pleaded guilty to both charges and was sentenced to at least four years, 11 months and up to seven years, five months in prison. The negotiated plea prevented the child victim from being re-traumatized by having to confront the defendant and testify in open court, Murray said. Ford's shop is now closed.
• Carroll Owens, 47, of Hendersonville, was charged with more than 25 felony and misdemeanor offenses. Owens had multiple larceny charges, multiple breaking and entering a vehicle charges, multiple financial card theft charges, a possession of a stolen vehicle charge, a larceny of a firearm charge, a felon in possession of a firearm charge, a felony fleeing to elude charge, a common law robbery charge, and multiple habitual offender charges. Owens previously waived his right to an appointed attorney and chose to represent himself. On the second day of the trial calendar, after all the pretrial motions filed by Owens were handled on Jan. 29, the trial was set to begin. However, prior to the jury being selected and impaneled, Owens withdrew his not guilty plea and pleaded guilty to all charges. Stetzer accepted his plea of guilty, consolidated all the charges under the common law robbery felony charge, along with the accompanying habitual offender status charge, and sentenced Owens to an active prison sentence of 117 to 153 months.
• Donnie Ray Estes, 37, a resident of Flat Rock, was charged with over 20 felony and misdemeanor offenses. Estes had multiple possession of methamphetamine charges, a larceny of motor vehicle charge, a possession of a motor vehicle charge, a possession with intent to sell and deliver methamphetamine charge, and multiple habitual offender charges. When Estes failed to appear for court on Jan. 29, Judge Stetzer ordered his arrest and substantially increased his bond. Deputies located Estes within 48 hours. On Feb. 1 he agreed to plead guilty to all charges and was sentenced to a prison term of at least 160 months up to and 216 months.

Murray commended the Henderson County Sheriff’s Office, Hendersonville Police Department and the Fletcher Police Department for their steadfast commitment to protecting our streets and eradicating these habitual offenders.

“It is because of their hard work, dedication, and thorough investigations, that my office was able to get these cases across the finish line,” he said. He also praised the work of assistant district attorneys Lily Ferry, Clifton Neal and David Lampert for their prosecution of the cases.