The Fort Dodge teenager who pleaded guilty to helping the accused gunman escape after a deadly May 2023 shooting was sentenced to two years of probation Monday.

Along with the probation sentence, Haydin R. Mapel, 17, was granted a deferred judgment, which means if she successfully completes her probation and pays a civil penalty and court costs, she will not have a criminal record.

“You need to do whatever you can the rest of your life to make a positive impact in this world,” District Associate Judge Joseph L. Tofilon told Mapel.

“You have been given this chance today,” he said.

Last month, Mapel pleaded guilty to accessory after the fact for her role in the May 2, 2023, shooting that killed 18-year-old Patrick Walker and wounded 20-year-old Silas Hall.

Davonquae Pettigrew has pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter and intimidation with a dangerous weapon. He will be sentenced Friday.

Walker and Hall were shot in the 100 block of North 10th Street on the evening of May 2, 2023. Walker was declared dead at the scene.

In her guilty plea, Mapel wrote, “I was driving a vehicle when my passenger, D.J. Pettigrew, intentionally discharged a firearm from the moving vehicle at a person on the sidewalk.” She wrote that she drove him to her house so that he could change clothes. She wrote that she then helped to get Pettigrew to another house, where someone picked him up and took him out of Fort Dodge.

Mapel was arrested May 4, 2023. She was initially charged with aiding and abetting first-degree murder and aiding and abetting attempted murder.

During Monday’s sentencing hearing, Iowa Assistant Attorney General Ryan Baldridge said he believed Mapel’s offense “is worthy of a period of confinement.”

“She was involved in helping DJ Pettigrew get away with a heinous crime,” he said.

However, he said he realized that Mapel could be sentenced to time served, meaning the 381 days she spent in juvenile detention.

Therefore, he requested a sentence of two years probation with no deferred judgment.

“I don’t believe this is something that deserves to be treated with child gloves,” he said.

Defense attorney Judd Parker requested a deferred judgment. He said Mapel had served 381 days in juvenile detention. He said while she was confined she completed her high school diploma. He added that since she was released in late May she has been working with her father in a property maintenance and cleaning business.

Before handing down his sentence, Tofilon heard one victim impact statement from Latrece Martin, Walker’s mother.

Martin began her statement by saying, “I do not want any harm, hurt or danger to come to this young woman.”

She then described Mapel as “the person who helped kill my son.”

Martin said she would rather stay at her job 24 hours a day, seven days a week than go home because it hurts her so much to know that her son will not be there.

Tofilon said he could base his sentence only on what Mapel pleaded guilty to, which Iowa law classifies as an aggravated misdemeanor.

He said no proof has been offered that Mapel knew Pettigrew had a gun and intended to shoot someone.

He added that she has no previous criminal record and has been assessed as someone who presents a low risk for violent behavior.

The judge noted that Mapel completed her high school diploma while in juvenile detention.

He added that she has been working since her release from juvenile detention.

For all those reasons, Toflilon said he believed a deferred judgment is appropriate for Mapel.

A deferred judgment occurs when a conviction is technically not entered on record pending successful completion of a period of probation. If the defendant completes the probation, the guilty plea or conviction will not appear on the defendant’s permanent criminal record.