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Thursday, May 8, 2025

After a Violent Beating, Zanesville Woman Pleads Guilty to Lying to Authorities

May 7, 2025, Krista Goldsmith, 38, of Zanesville pled guilty to three separate counts that stem from her lying to authorities regarding the location of her boyfriend and abuser, Jakory Sutton.

Alongside Goldsmith’s obstruction of justice, the court found her guilty of subjecting her children to a series of tragic events and domestic violence.

Goldsmith pleaded guilty to Obstruction of Justice, a felony of the fifth degree that carries with it a maximum sentence of 12 months in prison. She also pleaded guilty to two counts of child endangering, each a misdemeanor of the first-degree and each carrying with it a maximum sentence of 180 days in jail.



Details of the Case:

Goldsmith, who has been a licensed practical nurse for 14 years, was the victim of repeated instances of domestic violence and beatings which occurred in her home with her children present.

The most recent attack occurred November 2, 2024. Around 3 in the morning, Jakory awoke Goldsmith’s children when he beat on doors and yelled for their mother. After falling asleep they woke up again, but this time to loud noises and their mother crying.

After investigating, one of the children could hear their mother choking. After entering the room to help, the child witnessed Jakory standing over and kicking Goldsmith in the stomach. After helping Goldsmith to the bathroom, the child noted that they could see her skull through the bleeding. Photographs taken of Goldsmith show blood in her hair. While in the bathroom, Jakory made another attack and slammed Goldsmith repeatedly into the bathroom wall while holding her by the throat. Numerous photos taken throughout the house showed fresh blood stains on bedding, woodwork, and puddled in various locations on the floor.

While hearing their mother scream for help, her children called 911 requesting help and medical assistance. On the call they reported that these events took place regularly.

When Goldsmith discovered that her children had called 911, she verbally attacked them, blaming them for getting Sutton into trouble. After yelling at one of the children, Jakory reached past one of them and punched a television, destroying it in the process.

Goldsmith then gathered Jakory and herself into her car, telling those in the home that she had to get Jakory away before law enforcement arrived because he had a warrant for his arrest.

Muskingum County Deputy Timothy Brandom arrived on scene and conducted a thorough investigation. Deputies took the pictures that showed a pool of blood in Goldsmith’s bedroom as well as blood smears throughout the apartment.

Later that morning, Deputy Brandom participated in a welfare traffic stop on Goldsmith. When asked, Goldsmith stated that nothing happened between her and Jakory, and she denied driving him away from the scene. Deputies observed bruising in the shape of fingerprints on her neck as well as matted blood on the back of her head. She refused medical attention.

The crime of endangering children occurs when a person who is a parent or guardian creates a substantial risk to the health or safety of a child by violating a duty of care, protection or support. In the case of Goldsmith’s children, she chose her boyfriend over protecting them from experiencing violence, threats, and trauma in their home.

The crime of obstructing justice occurs where a person has a purpose to prevent the apprehension or prosecution of another person and does any of a number of acts to assist that person. In Goldsmith’s case, she provided transportation, and she also provided false information for the benefit of Jakory Sutton to avoid arrest.

Despite Goldsmith’s consistent refusal to tell the truth about what happened, the court convicted Jakory Sutton earlier this month of strangulation related to the offense. He faces sentencing at a later date.

It can be hard to balance the just outcome in cases of this type. Here, Goldsmith received a recommendation of probation for her acts. This was a recommendation motivated by the fact that she has been the victim of repeated acts of violence, even if she does not accept that to be true.

The Muskingum County Prosecutor’s Office heavily weighs victim input in cases; however, where the behavior of the victim puts others at risk then that input is given less weight. In this case, Goldsmith’s choices represented a failure to protect her children and there are consequences for those choices.

“We will never tire in our efforts to keep innocent victims safe in this county,” according to APA John Litle, who handled the case. “We take domestic violence cases very seriously, but we also take very seriously the life-long negative affect that witnessing domestic violence in the home has upon children.”

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