Ashland man takes plea deal in COVID-19 harassment case

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ)

An Ashland man charged with two felonies in March 2020 for allegedly telling Jefferson City store clerks he had COVID-19 and asking them if they wanted the disease took a plea deal this week and received probation.

Anthony Nunes was accused of telling two store clerks on different days that he had COVID-19 and asking if they wanted it. Nunes was coughing at the time and said he had a sore throat and a fever, according to a probable cause statement. The clerks told police Nunes made them fear for their lives.

Nunes denied the allegations in a conversation with ABC 17 News. It's not clear whether Nunes actually had COVID-19.

Nunes was originally charged with two counts of first-degree harassment but pleaded guilty to one count of second-degree harassment, a misdemeanor. He was sentenced Tuesday to two years of probation. If probation is revoked it will trigger a year-long jail sentence, according to court records.