Two Casper men admitted Friday to involvement in a March shooting in Evansville that left two other men injured.

Shane Leonard, the gunman, pleaded guilty to aggravated robbery and aggravated assault. The plea came as part of a deal with prosecutors, who agreed to dismiss an attempted first-degree murder charge against him.

Leonard faces five to 25 years in prison when a judge sentences him several weeks from now. If he had been convicted of attempted murder, he could have faced life behind bars.

O'Shea Abeyta, who drove Leonard to and from the shooting, pleaded guilty to aiding and abetting aggravated assault. He also made a deal with prosecutors and faces up to 10 years in prison.

Both men appeared in Natrona County District Court on Friday morning to enter their pleas. Leonard, dressed in a gray suit, listened quietly as District Attorney Michael Blonigen recounted the shooting.

On March 29, Leonard and Abeyta drove to an Evansville trailer home. Leonard, who was armed with a .22-caliber pistol, confronted two people in front of the home and demanded their cell phones.

After he robbed them, Leonard shot Deon Hines in the buttocks after Hines came out of a trailer, Blonigen said.

Leonard, 22, and Abeyta, 21, drove off but soon returned. Leonard then shot Derric Winters, who also came out of the trailer, in the abdomen before leaving the scene.

Hines and Winters both survived their injures.

After Blonigen recounted the shooting, District Judge David Park asked Leonard whether he agreed with all of the prosecutor's statements.

"I do," Leonard replied.

Abeyta, who wore shackles and an orange jail uniform, told Park he drove Leonard to the home, but initially didn't know Leonard had a gun.

"There was no drawn out plan," he said. "We were going to a party."

However, Abeyta did admit he knew Leonard was armed when he drove him back to the trailer after Hines was shot.

Leonard remains free on $100,000 bond. Abeyta, who has not been able to pay his $100,000 bond, is being held at Natrona Count Detention Center.

Reach crime reporter Joshua Wolfson at (307) 266-0582 or at josh.wolfson@trib.com.

NewsTracker

Last we knew: Shane Leonard and O'Shea Abeyta pleaded not guilty to charges stemming from a March shooting in Evansville.

The latest: Both men changed their pleas to guilty Friday as part of agreements with prosecutors.

What's next: Leonard and Abeyta will likely be sentenced in the next few months.