More than a dozen Clark County Sheriff’s deputies lined the back of a small courtroom early Monday morning as Maria Blessing was sentenced to serve five years in prison for her role in the death of Suzanne Waughtel Hopper.

Blessing, 56, had previously pleaded guilty to charges that she provided a firearm to Michael Ferryman, despite knowing that he had a history of mental illness.

Hopper was investigating a report of shots fired at the Enon Beach Recreation Park on Jan. 1 when Ferryman fatally shot her.

Blessing’s attorney said she was remorseful, but prosecutors countered that she knew Ferryman had a long history of mental illness, and noted she was present when Ferryman had fired shots at law enforcement officers in Morgan County in a separate incident in 2001.

“Make no mistake,” said Andy Wilson, Clark County prosecutor. “She was there. She was a participant when Mr. Ferryman assaulted law enforcement officers in the past.”

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