Charles City brothers sentenced in beating incident; one also sentenced in another assault case

By Bob Steenson, bsteenson@charlescitypress.com

Two Charles City brothers have now been sentenced after both pleaded guilty to reduced charges in an incident in October 2021 that court records allege involved beating a person after “a verbal altercation between intoxicated friends that escalated into a physical assault.”

One of the brothers was also sentenced this week for a separate incident that involved allegedly putting a shotgun in a woman’s mouth and threatening to pull the trigger.

Brandon Patrick Starkey and Zachary James Starkey, both age 29, along with a third person, Michelle Lea Keagle, age 32, were charged with willful injury resulting in serious injury, a Class C felony, and willful injury resulting in bodily injury, a Class D felony, for the October fight which resulted in a victim sustaining “a severe laceration to the left eyebrow, left orbital fracture and left orbital muscle damage.”

Brandon Starkey had pleaded guilty in July to willful injury causing bodily injury, a Class D felony, and domestic abuse causing bodily injury, a serious misdemeanor.

He was sentenced this week in Floyd County District Court by Judge James Drew to a prison term of up to five years, suspended, and a fine of $1,025 plus 15% surcharge, also suspended, on the willful injury charge. He was sentenced to 30 days in jail, suspended, and ordered to pay a fine of $430 plus 15% surcharge for the domestic abuse charge.

He was also sentenced to five years probation with the Iowa Department of Correctional Services and ordered to obtain a substance abuse and mental health evaluation and “promptly complete all recommended treatment.”

Zachary Starkey had pleaded guilty in August and was sentenced that month to the same reduced charges – willful injury causing bodily injury and assault causing bodily injury.

Zachary Starkey had been sentenced to up to five years in prison, suspended, and a $1,025 fine plus 15% surcharge, suspended, on the willful injury charge.

He was sentenced to serve 30 days in jail and ordered to pay a $430 fine plus 15% surcharge, and placed on probation for three to five years. He was also ordered to obtain a substance abuse and mental health evaluation and complete all recommended treatment.

Keagle has pleaded guilty to the same reduced charges. Her sentencing has been set for Oct. 24. She was listed in some court documents with a Morris, Illinois, address but in other records with a Charles City address.

Brandon Starkey had also been charged in a separate incident in March this year where court records say he “assaulted a person and placed the barrel of a shotgun inside of her mouth and threatened to shoot her. …  The victim was placed in fear for her life and of serious injury.”

Starkey was charged in that incident with intimidation with a dangerous weapon, a Class C felony, and domestic abuse assault while using or displaying a dangerous weapon, an aggravated misdemeanor.

Brandon Starkey pleaded guilty in June in an Alford plea to a charge of domestic abuse assault with intent to cause serious injury, an aggravated misdemeanor, and the county attorney’s office has moved to have the intimidation charge dismissed.

Starkey was sentenced in Floyd County District Court this week by Judge Drew to 365 days in jail, with all but 75 days of that suspended. Since he had already spent more than 75 days in jail related to the charge, he was not taken into custody.

Drew also sentenced Starkey to a $855 fine plus 15% crime services surcharge, suspended, and ordered him to pay $1,290 in damages.

Starkey was placed on probation for three years, was ordered to make arrangements to participate in the Iowa Domestic Abuse Program and was ordered to obtain a substance abuse and mental health evaluation and complete all recommended treatment.

A no-contact order between Brandon Starkey and the victim was also extended for five years.

An Alford plea means the defendant agrees that the prosecution has enough evidence to likely convince a jury of his guilt beyond a reasonable doubt, but he does not admit guilt. The criminal record impact is the same as pleading guilty.