A Blue Springs couple has been sentenced to 16 months in federal prison after helping a federal inmate who escaped from the Cass County Jail.
Dawn Branstietter and John Douglas Baxter have both been sentenced.
Branstietter’s son, Trevor Sparks, and another inmate, Sergio Perez-Martinez who is still on the run, escaped from jail in December. Sparks made several calls to Branstietter from the jail, and according to prosecutors, they discussed the upcoming escape attempt.
After Sparks made it to Kansas City with the assistance of a different accomplice, prosecutors say Branstietter and Baxter gave him food, clothing and housing while he was on the run.
Days after Sparks escaped, Branstietter told detectives she wouldn’t give up her son and would go to prison so he could be free.
Sparks and Branstietter were arrested in Kansas City a few weeks after Sparks’ escape, and Baxter was arrested later.
Sparks pleaded guilty in June to charges related to the escape. He was sentenced last week to life in prison, plus 60 months, for a $4.1 million meth conspiracy. He was sentenced to another 33 months for his escape.
