Less than a year after the death of Chattanooga Police Sgt. Tim Chapin, the family of accused cop-killer Jesse Mathews are sentenced to prison.
Jesse Mathews family members now know what their punishment will be for their part in this robbery he pulled at a Brainerd Road pawn shop last year.
That's when Sgt. Tim Chapin was shot and killed.
In a crime spree that extended from Colorado to Chattanooga...the three family members and daughter Rachel's boyfriend pleaded guilty to helping Jesse bring stolen guns into the city as he fled Colorado officers.
He had escaped from a jail there a few days earlier.
Federal Judge Sandy Mattice took all morning to assess the punishment for 57 year old Kathleen, the self-described matriarch of the family.
Using federal guidelines he set the sentence at 366 months...30 and a half years in prison.
In a packed courtroom, the judge said Katheen showed no remorse for her or her son's actions.
Later Judge Mattice used those same guidelines to sentence her husband, Ray Vance Mathews to 20 years and 10 months.
Daughter Rachel, admitted hiding stolen guns for her brother goes to jail for 11 years and one month.
Her boyfriend James David Poteete, who joined the group when the came through Nashville got the lightest sentence---6 years and 11 months, and he was allowed to self-report to federal prison on March 14th.
He was allowed to leave the courthouse.
Poteete has helped officers with the investigation.
BILL KILLIAN, U.S. ATTORNEY, EASTERN DIST. OF TENNESSEE "These people assisted him..not only to contiunue an escape...but provided him with firearms."
CHIEF BOBBY DODD, CHATTANOOGA POLICE DEPARTMENT "I think we actually saw some truly evil people today. I think we're one step closer to closure for not only the family but the police department."
Kathleen Mathews told the court her son Jesse has betrayed her when he went to rob the pawn shop..but she said she will always love him and do anything she can for him.
Her daughter Rachel apologized to the Chapin family.
Jesse Mathews goes to trial a year from now for felony murder.
