BEATRICE – A Beatrice woman who has been serving a 4-year state prison term for two counts of drug possession…..has been sentenced to additional time in a separate case.


25-year-old Payton Bishop Thursday was sentenced to 8-to-12 years in prison on a conviction of attempted possession of a firearm by a prohibited person. Gage County District Judge Rick Schreiner issued a harsher sentence than that recommended by state and defense attorneys. The judge noted that prior to a plea agreement, Bishop faced nine weapons, driving and drug charges, some that carried the possibility of up to 50 years in prison.


"Law enforcement officers identified you as being the driver of a vehicle leaving a local gas station..and it was noted they knew you had a suspended license. Officers attempted to catch up with you and you drove down Market Street at a rate of speed estimated to be over 100 miles-an-hour. There were children playing in the yards and somebody riding a bicycle. You had no regard for anyone, or anything but yourself. And then when you got to where you were going, you got out of the vehicle and tried to evade law enforcement by getting into a residence before they caught up with you. You have run amuck in this county, since you were old enough to know better."


The judge ordered the latest sentences to be served after Bishop completes her current state prison term.  "I respect the work that our prosecutors and our defense attorneys do, and I always try to honor the agreements that they've hammered out...because oftentimes they know more about the facts, than I do. But in this case the facts just speak for themselves. You could have killed somebody and you didn't even care. You just didn't care."


Attorneys for both sides had recommended a 6-to-8 year prison sentence. She could have received up to 50 years for the conviction.


Judge Schreiner said he found it “astonishing” that Bishop has never held a job. Bishop told the judge she is working while in prison and is hoping to earn work release. The judge suspended post-release supervision ordered in the previous sentence in favor of parole...if Bishop qualifies for that.


Bishop began serving her prison term for the drug offenses last July 1st. Last June 25th, she and a male suspect were arrested following the high-speed pursuit along Market Street in Beatrice, which happened during Homestead Days.  

On the back floorboard of the car, police found a drawstring bag that contained two firearms….one of them loaded with an extended magazine.  Also in the bag was a set of brass knuckles with spikes on the end.