A 45-year-old Indianapolis woman is heading to prison for a decade after she pulled a gun on an appliance repair technician and fired a shot at him — all because she refused to pay a standard $70 service charge, according to Marion County court records.
Marion County Superior Judge Charles F. Miller sentenced Reba LaJoy Wilson on Monday to 10 years in a state correctional facility. Wilson had pleaded guilty to intimidation with a deadly weapon and unlawful possession of a firearm by a serious violent felon. As part of the plea deal, prosecutors dropped additional charges of criminal confinement, criminal recklessness, and pointing a firearm at another person.
The case dates back to March 2024, when a self-employed repairman arrived at Wilson’s home to look at a malfunctioning clothes dryer. After diagnosing the issue, he informed Wilson that she owed the standard $70 house-call fee. Wilson allegedly refused, claiming the appliance was still under warranty.
According to court documents, when the technician tried to leave, Wilson blocked the front door while pointing a black-and-silver handgun at him and demanded he continue working. He pretended to resume the repair before fleeing through the back door. As he ran, Wilson allegedly fired a shot in his direction, shouting that he was lucky she didn’t kill him, followed by further threats as he escaped to his truck and called 911.
A search warrant executed at the home turned up a hidden handgun beneath a couch and a spent shell casing near the broken dryer. Wilson initially denied any wrongdoing when confronted by officers.
At sentencing, Wilson requested home detention instead of prison, citing a medical condition that she said required specialized care. The judge rejected the request, citing her criminal history — which includes eight prior convictions — and noting she had been wanted on an outstanding warrant for nearly a year before her arrest.