VENANGO CO., Pa. (EYT) – An Emlenton couple who kept a woman locked in a bedroom and abused her were sentenced on Friday morning.

Judge Robert L. Boyer sentenced 29-year-old Britany Nicole Hoover to a total of five years of probation and 34-year-old Graham Scott Snyder to a minimum of two months up to a maximum of one year confinement, with eligibility for house arrest, to be followed by probation to total five years total restrictive conditions.

Hoover was ordered to the following:

– Five years of probation on one first-degree misdemeanor count of unlawful restraint/involuntary servitude.
– Two years of probation on one second-degree misdemeanor count of simple assault.
– Two years of probation on one second-degree count of misapply entrusted/government/financial institution property.

The sentences were ordered to run concurrently.

Hoover was also ordered to perform 50 hours of community service, to have no contact with the victim, and to pay a total of $2,000.00 in restitution, jointly with co-defendant Graham Snyder.

Snyder was ordered to the following:

– A minimum of two months up to a maximum of 12 months of confinement, with immediate eligibility for house arrest, on one second-degree misdemeanor count of simple assault.
– Five years of probation on one first-degree misdemeanor count of unlawful restraint/involuntary servitude.
– Two years of probation on one second-degree count of misapply entrusted/government/financial institution property.

The above sentences were ordered to run concurrently.

Snyder was also ordered to perform 50 hours of community service, to have no contact with the victim, and to pay a total of $2,000.00 in restitution, jointly with co-defendant Britany Hoover.

His sentence is scheduled to begin on October 9.

Both defendants pleaded guilty to the above charges on January 7, 2020.

As a result of a plea agreement, the following charges against Hoover were dismissed:

• Kidnap To Inflict Injury/Terror, Felony 1
• Strangulation – Applying Pressure to Throat or Neck, Felony 2
• Terroristic Threats W/Intent To Terrorize Another, Misdemeanor 1 (six counts)
• Simple Assault, Misdemeanor 2 (12 counts)
• False Imprisonment, Misdemeanor 2
• Harassment – Subject Other to Physical Contact, Summary (11 counts)
• Theft By Unlawful Taking-Movable Property, Felony 3

The following charges against Snyder were dismissed as a result of a plea agreement:

• Kidnap To Inflict Injury/Terror, Felony 1
• Simple Assault, Misdemeanor 2 (9 counts)
• False Imprisonment, Misdemeanor 2
• Harassment – Subject Other to Physical Contact, Summary (10 counts)
• Theft By Unlawful Taking-Movable Property, Felony 3

Details of the case:

Active warrants were issued for the couple on Thursday, February 21, 2019.

The couple turned themselves in around 2:30 p.m. Monday, February 25, 2019, at Judge Lowrey’s office in Seneca, Venango County, according to Emlenton Chief of Police Dan Siegel.

They were arraigned at 3:00 p.m. on Monday, February 25, 2019.

Chief Siegel told exploreClarion.com, “They called the magistrate’s office prior to turning themselves in, and our officers met them there.”

Chief Siegel said that other law enforcement agencies assisted with the search.

“They were actively looking all day in Clarion, Venango, and Armstrong Counties,” said Chief Siegel.

Multiple tips were received during the course of the search.

“We had several tips that they were periodically visiting their residence (on Hill Street) and were in Clarion and Armstrong Counties,” said Chief Siegel.

Criminal Complaint Filed on February 12, 2019

According to a criminal complaint filed at Judge Lowrey’s office, Patrolman Baney responded to a residence along Hill Street in Emlenton on February 12, 2019, around 4:46 p.m.

The complaint notes that the victim and the defendants lived at the residence at the time.

Upon police arrival, Patrolman Baney found a 46-year-old female victim yelling from a second story window. He gained entry into the home and proceeded to an upstairs bedroom where the victim was located.

The criminal complaint states that the bedroom door was secured with a two-piece hasp that was affixed to the door and hardwood framing with a wire interlocking the mechanism preventing the victim from exiting the room.

The victim was the only person present at this time.

According to the criminal complaint, Patrolman Baney gained entry into the room and found the victim inside with black eyes, a split lip, and contusions to her face and forehead. The victim also had bruises that were in different stages of healing, including bruising around her neck and chest.

Ambulance personnel were dispatched and transported the victim to UPMC Northwest, in Seneca, for treatment.

The victim was interviewed at UPMC Northwest and stated that Britany Hoover and Graham Snyder locked her in her bedroom on February 12, 2019, and then left the residence.

She stated that Hoover and Snyder locked her in the room on numerous occasions dating back to January 1, 2019.

According to the victim, Hoover and Graham locked her in the room and would only let her out to eat and use the bathroom.

The criminal complaint states that the victim told police that the amount of time she was locked in the room became “longer and longer” on each occasion and she would have to “hold her urine” for long periods of time.

The victim also stated that Hoover threatened to choke her “until she passes out,” cut off her fingers, break her fingers, slit her throat, and break her wrist, according to the complaint.

The victim also indicated that Hoover said she had access to a gun and told her, “I could shoot you in the head.”

According to the criminal complaint, the victim told police that she has been physically assaulted by Hoover on at least twelve occasions between the dates of January 01, 2019, and February 12, 2019.

The victim said Hoover punched her with a closed fist, struck her with a cell phone, and put both hands around her neck and squeezed “until she could hardly breathe.”

The victim told police that the most recent physical assault occurred on February 8 when Hoover punched her with a closed fist and choked her.

She also said Graham punched her with a closed fist and struck her in the face and the head more than ten times between January 1, 2019, and February 12, 2019.

She told authorities that she was deprived of exiting the residence and “not allowed outside.”

When exploreClarion.com asked Patrolman Baney why the victim didn’t leave the residence, he indicated that “her freedom of movement was limited, and her time out of the bedroom was getting less and less.”

“She was being observed when she was left out of the bedroom,” Patrolman Baney explained.