A Clarion woman had her bond modified Tuesday, Dec. 3, on a charge of conspiring to help her then-boyfriend escape from Butler County Prison.

Heidi M. Boots, 25, was held for court Oct. 21 on a felony charge of conspiracy to commit escape. Her boyfriend at the time, Damean M. Felmlee, 29, is in prison for a felony charge of criminal solicitation to commit criminal homicide and a misdemeanor charge of criminal solicitation to commit retaliation against a witness or victim.

Felmlee was arrested in May after holding an 82-year-old Brady Township woman at gunpoint and robbing her home. Felmlee attempted to escape while being transported from Butler County Prison to district court for a hearing, but he was caught minutes later.

Recordings of phone calls between Boots and Felmlee were later discovered in which they planned the escape the previous week.

Initially, Boots’ bond was set at $100,000. The bond amount has been scrapped in favor of a list of conditions agreed to by both sides and approved by Common Pleas Judge Joseph Kubit.

Boots’ court-appointed attorney, Michael J. Ozdinec, told the court Boots is not a flight risk, and that she wants to stay with her mother, who is dealing with health issues.

“These charges are serious, I don’t hide from that, but her criminal history is limited. It seems as though this is related to her relationship and poor decisions she made with Mr. Felmlee, but he’s in jail, and I don’t anticipate he’s going to be going anywhere soon,” Ozdinec said.

Ozdinec asked for a reduced bond with the condition that she not have contact with Felmlee.

“I would submit that with her ties to the community, her lack of failure to appear in front of court, and the nature of the offense and how it arose from that relationship, that this court could fashion bond conditions that would assure the safety of the community, her appearance in court, and would be something she could work with that is not heavy monetary-wise, because she can’t make that,” Ozdinec said.

The Butler County District Attorney’s office did not oppose modifying the conditions of Boots’ release. In addition to prohibiting contact with Felmlee, the DA’s office also asked the court to prohibit contact between Boots and Herbert Zellefrow, a 53-year-old co-defendant with Felmlee from the May charges.

Mark Lope, assistant district attorney, said Boots would be put on pretrial supervision with the Butler County Adult Probation Department. She will need a release plan approved by Butler County Adult Probation prior to her release from Butler County Prison, and she will have to report to the probation department as directed.