A Columbus man who pleaded guilty to trespassing and assault was sentenced to 14 days in jail and two years of probation.
Brandon Black, 30, appeared in Delaware County Common Pleas Court Friday morning where he was sentenced by Judge David Gormley on a charge of trespassing, a fourth-degree felony, and a charge of assault, a first-degree misdemeanor, for reportedly kicking a door down and assaulting a man.
Gormley ordered a pre-sentence report after Black pleaded guilty in June and said the report suggests Black is not likely to re-offend. Gormley added that Black had shown remorse for the crimes. After reviewing the report, Gormley sentenced him to two years of probation for the felony charge and 14 days in the Delaware County Jail for the assault charge.
Black confessed in June that he had had gone to the apartment of his estranged wife, Ashley, to pick up his daughter and learned another man, Zachary Hoffer, was also at the apartment. Black confessed that he kicked the door down and tried to get to his daughter. Black told Gormley at his change-of-plea hearing that Hoffer took a swing at him but missed. Black said he then hit Hoffer in the face.
Black’s attorney, Sam Shamansky, asked Gormley if he would be willing to place Black on work release, which would allow Black to keep his job and report to jail after work to be incarcerated during the night. Gormley approved and said Black will be released from the jail at 7 a.m. and must return by 6:30 p.m.
Gormley said Black’s sentence will begin on Monday.
Black had previously been charged with aggravated burglary, a first-degree felony; the assault charge; and a charge of aggravated menacing, a first-degree misdemeanor. The aggravated burglary charge also carried a firearm specification that would have added several years to any potential prison sentence.
As part of plea negotiations with prosecutors, the aggravated burglary charge was lowered to trespassing and the aggravated menacing charge was dismissed. The firearm specification was also dropped.
