Staff photos / Ed Runyan LaShawn Scott, left, mother of Kimonie Bryant, stands with her attorney, Michael Kivlighan, during Scott’s plea hearing Tuesday in Mahoning County Common Pleas Court. She is accused of hiding her son’s cellphone Sept. 21, 2020, to hamper the investigation into the killing of Rowan Sweeney.

YOUNGSTOWN — LaShawn A. Scott, 46, of Youngstown, mother of murder defendant Kimonie Bryant, pleaded guilty Tuesday to tampering with evidence and will be sentenced at 9:30 a.m. May 23.

Scott is accused of hiding her son’s cellphone Sept. 21, 2020, to hamper the investigation into the killing of Rowan Sweeney, 4, in a house on Perry Street in Struthers and the shootings of four adults in the home. The killing took place earlier that day.

The charge is a third-degree felony, punishable by up to about three years in prison. However, Mahoning County Assistant Prosecutor Jennifer Paris told Mahoning County Common Pleas Court Judge Anthony D’Apolito on Tuesday that prosecutors are recommending that Scott get probation and no prison time.

Tuesday’s hearing was short, and no discussion of the case took place, only the standard admonitions from the judge about the rights Scott is giving up by pleading guilty.

D’Apolito told Scott that she had done nothing in the more than three years since she was charged with the offense to violate conditions of her bond. So as long as she doesn’t violate any conditions in the next 60 days, “I am prepared to follow the recommendation of the state of Ohio,” he said.

Bryant, 27, was the only person charged in the case initially and was viewed to be the shooter who entered the home with a hooded sweatshirt pulled up around his face to commit a robbery but shot Rowan and also shot the adults.

But DNA evidence later pointed to co-defendant Brandon Crump Jr. as the shooter. Bryant accepted a plea agreement to aggravated murder and got a recommendation of 20 years to life in prison.

But more recently prosecutors alleged that Bryant lied about details when he discussed his testimony against his co-defendants. As a result, prosecutors notified D’Apolito that they want to recommend that Bryant get more than the 20-years-to-life sentence Bryant was promised.

Bryant is set for sentencing at 9:30 a.m. July 2.

Have an interesting story? Contact Ed Runyan by email at erunyan@vindy.com. Follow us on X, formerly Twitter, @TribToday.