A Gahanna man was sentenced to eight years in prison Monday morning after confessing to beating his girlfriend in April at her home in Sunbury.
Brandon Michael Muth, 24, of 289 Triumph Way, Gahanna, was sentenced Monday morning to five years in prison on a charge of felonious assault, which is a third-degree felony, and to three years in prison on a charge of kidnapping, a first-degree felony.
Muth was originally indicted on April 23 on charges of attempted murder, a first-degree felony; kidnapping; felonious assault, a second-degree felony; abduction, a third-degree felony; and animal cruelty, a second-degree misdemeanor. As a condition of a plea deal, the attempted murder, abduction and the animal cruelty charges were dropped.
Delaware County Common Pleas Judge David Gormley presided over the sentencing Monday and ordered that the sentences be served consecutively. He was also ordered to pay $1,719 in restitution to Neu.
Prosecutors said Muth assaulted his then-girlfriend, Kristy Neu, 21, of Sunbury, after she moved him while getting into bed. Prosecutors said Muth hit Neu repeatedly and even hit Neu’s dog when it came to her defense.
Muth’s attorney, Joel Spitzer, said in a sentencing memorandum that Muth was bullied, beaten and molested as a child and had problems with drugs in the past. Spitzer said that on April 18, the night of the incident, Muth and Neu had been together for two to three months and their friendship was evolving into a loving relationship. However, when Neu climbed into bed and asked him to move, it reminded Muth of his childhood trauma and his fear turned to rage.
Spitzer said that after the rage subsided and Muth “came to,” he ran from the scene. After he realized how badly he had harmed Neu, he sent her a Facebook message apologizing and saying he never meant to hurt her. Spitzer continued that Muth turned himself in and took responsibility for the crime.
The county’s first assistant prosecuting attorney, Kyle Rohrer, told Gormley at Muth’s arraignment that Neu had a wound on her nose, bruising on both eyes and bruising on her neck. Rohrer said the attack could have been life-threatening.
Spitzer disagreed and said Neu was released from the hospital the evening of the attack and a doctor diagnosed her injuries as superficial.
Rohrer told Gormley that Muth has been convicted on several misdemeanors previously, including domestic battery and assault in Ohio and West Virginia.
Muth was in the Delaware County Jail Monday afternoon, awaiting transport to prison.
Spitzer said that while Muth was out on bond, he completed an anger management course.
