Former FBI agent sentenced for federal gun charges, plus more Fayette Co. court cases

Court cases stemming from several deadly incidents in and around Central Kentucky neared their ends in April as defendants received their prison sentences or entered guilty pleas.

These court developments include a former FBI agent sentenced for federal gun-related charges, along with a woman entering a guilty plea for the death of an Afghanistan war veteran.

Here are some updates on court cases previously covered by the Herald-Leader.

Former FBI agent sentenced to probation for federal gun charges

A former Central Kentucky FBI agent was sentenced for federal firearm charges after he illegally took guns from an FBI storage office, according to court records.

Michael Van Aelstyn, 45, was sentenced to three years probation on March 28 for obstruction of justice and possessing an unregistered firearm, according to court documents.

He was originally charged with possession of a firearm made in violation of the National Firearms Act, possession of an unregistered firearm, and unlawful transfer of a firearm to an out-of-state resident, according to a May indictment. He entered a plea agreement in November 2023.

Van Aelstyn was accused of removing two illegal firearms from a suspect’s home, transporting them to an FBI office for storage, and later removing them from the evidence room and taking them to his residence, according to court documents.

Van Aelstyn also gave an AM-15 multi-caliber rifle to a man identified in court documents as “MH,” and told him “he should not let anyone else know the source of that firearm.”

Another gun, a Cugir Mini Draco pistol, was allegedly destroyed by Van Aelstyn and thrown away, according to court documents.

FBI spokesperson Katie Anderson confirmed in November 2023 that Van Aelstyn no longer works for the bureau.

Man enters guilty plea after deadly hit-and-run

A man who previously denied he was driving a car that killed a pedestrian in a hit-and-run entered a guilty plea on April 12.

Marcus Marshall, 31, pleaded guilty to an original charge of leaving the scene of an accident/failure to render aid/assist with death or serious physical injury in a crash that left Joshua Johnson dead in August 2023, according to court records.

The crash happened on the inner loop of New Circle Road near Alumni Drive, police previously said. Johnson was declared dead at the scene from multiple blunt force injuries, according to the Fayette County Coroner’s Office.

Marshall was not present when officials arrived at the scene. He was arrested later that morning after police received a tip from the driver’s friend, according to court documents.

Marshall originally told police he went to dinner with friends and was home afterwards, despite police finding his Audi A6 with extensive damage and blood on the car.

He faces two years and one day in prison, according to court documents. His sentencing is scheduled for May 17.

Woman approaches sentencing for death of military veteran

A Lexington woman charged with killing a decorated military veteran has entered a plea of guilty to amended charges.

She faces 20 years in prison.

Courtney Young, 33, pleaded guilty to second-degree manslaughter, convicted felon in possession of a firearm, tampering with physical evidence and second-degree persistent felony offender on April 10, according to court documents.

Young originally faced a murder charge, but it was reduced as part of her deal, according to court documents. She was charged for allegedly killing 33-year-old Nicole Morton — an Afghanistan war veteran, and mother — on April 4, 2023.

On Oct. 25, Lexington police were called to the 700 block of Maple Avenue at roughly 4 a.m. for reports of gunshots, according to Lt. Joe Anderson with the Lexington Police Department. When officers arrived they found Morton suffering from a gunshot wound inside Young’s residence.

Cell phone data places Young at the residence at the time of the shooting. Young allegedly did not call police, and had fled the scene, police said in previous testimony. She offered the police two alibis, but both were proved to be untrue.

Young’s sentencing is scheduled for May 23.

Lexington woman pleads guilty to amended charges

One of two suspects arrested for an April 2022 murder has pleaded guilty to amended charges in exchange for her testimony against her co-defendant, according to court documents.

Alysha Noel, 32, was charged with murder and tampering with physical evidence alongside Danny Sims, 52, after the body of William Ashby was discovered at a motel.

Court documents state Noel pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of criminal facilitation to murder on April 10. The second charge of evidence tampering could be dismissed.

Noel could receive a five year sentence for the charge of facilitation, but the dismissal of the evidence tampering charge is contingent upon her sufficient testimony against Sims if his case goes to trial, according to court documents.

Lexington police were called to the Catalina Motel in regards to a homicide and they made contact with Sims who said he struck Ashby several times with a heavy metal object. Sims also told officers that Noel stabbed and cut the victim.

Noel’s sentencing is scheduled for June 6. Sims is scheduled to appear for a status hearing May 30.

Final suspect sentenced for death of man found in burning car

A Lexington man acquitted of murder was sentenced for other charges against him for burning his friend’s body inside the trunk of a car.

On April 4, Cecil Thomas Russell was sentenced to 20 years for charges of tampering with physical evidence, third-degree complicity to arson, abuse of a corpse and complicity to criminal mischief, court documents say.

Russell was found not guilty of murder in a December 2023 trial which lasted five days. He was the sole person to be charged with murder of Lazarus Parker, who was killed in 2021 and his body was found burned inside the trunk of a car in a Bourbon County barn.

Co-defendants Martae Shanks and Autumn Owens Shanks did not face murder charges, but pleaded guilty to multiple, amended counts of drug trafficking and possession, criminal mischief, complicity to abuse a corpse and complicity to arson.

Both testified against Russell, and blamed him for the murder. A jury disagreed and found Russell not guilty.

Martae Shanks was sentenced to 15 years in prison. Autumn Owens Shanks was sentenced to six years in prison.