Escapee's girlfriend learns CO sentence

CANON CITY, Colo. (WOOD) - One of four West Michigan fugitives arrested in Colorado in October has entered into a plea deal.

Lauralee Grauman pleaded guilty Wednesday to theft by receiving in regards to the theft of a vehicle, according to the Canon City Daily Record. The rest of the counts she faced in Colorado were dismissed.

Outlined in the deal was a sentence of 90 days in jail and two years probation. She may be able to serve some of that probation in Michigan, where she may yet face additional charges.

"I just want to apologize to the court, my family and the State of Colorado," Grauman told the court during sentencing.

Lauralee Grauman was arrested Oct. 11 in Canon City, Colo. along with Brittany Rector, 17, and Lake County (Mich.) escapees Kenneth Grauman II (Lauralee's cousin) and Gregory Bradshaw.

The four had been on the run from the law for almost two weeks after Kenneth Grauman and Bradshaw escapeed from the Lake County Residential ReEntry Program in Baldwin on Sept. 29. They are accused of stealing at least five vehicles in three states.

At the time of their arrests, an active methamphetamine lab was discovered in the Canon City motel room where they had checked in on Oct. 10.

An officer wrote in Lauralee Grauman's arrest affidavit that she "displayed symptoms of being under the influence of methamphetamines" at the time of her arrest. The report goes on to say she was "unable to be still and very fidgety." She later tested positive for methamphetamines.

After her arrest, Lauralee Grauman told 24 Hour News 8's Joe LaFurgey in a jailhouse interview that she stayed with the men because she was afraid they would kill her if she tried to flee. She admitted to using the drug, which she said made her behave irrationally.

Bradshaw and Kenneth Grauman still each face one count of manufacturing a controlled substance, one count of felony theft by receiving, one count of contributing to the delinquency of a minor and one misdemeanor theft charge.

Kenneth Grauman also had a court date Wednesday, but there were major developments. Gregory Bradshaw is awaiting his next court date.

The 17-year-old Rector returned home to Allegan County (Mich.) on Oct. 24, but still faces charges in a Colorado juvenile court.

Because this case crossed so many jurisdictional lines as the four suspects fled across the country, it is still not clear how many charges they will face or in how many states they will be charged.