Lang
3/8/24
An Iowa City woman has been given suspended prison sentences in cases involving arson, vandalism and making threats against her own son.
Online court records show Judge Andrew Chappell handed down the suspended sentences on Wednesday to 40-year-old Ashley Bunting of Maggard Street. She was given a two-year suspended sentence on a charge of Stalking Using an Electronic Device, a five-year suspended prison sentence on a charge of Threat Involving an Explosive Device, a one-year suspended sentence on a 4th Degree Criminal Mischief charge, and a two-year suspended sentence on a charge of 1st Degree Harassment. A 2nd Degree Arson charge was dropped as part of the plea deal.
Iowa City Police say Bunting tried to set a truck on fire on the 1600 block of Aber Avenue last August over child custody issues with the vehicle’s owner. She later punctured the vehicle’s tires.
University of Iowa Police say Bunting also tried to cancel her son’s medical insurance and cancel a doctor’s appointment for the boy at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics late last year. Iowa City Police say she later sent multiple threatening text messages to one of her sons while he was at City High School. Bunting allegedly said she was going to kill the teen’s little brother, and that it was going to happen that day.
Bunting spent a week in jail last month for breaking a no-contact order in one of the cases. She was also fined a total of $3,165 among all of the cases against her.