A probationer who choked his girlfriend and threatened her with a gun during an attack at her Wildomar home pleaded guilty Friday to domestic violence and was immediately sentenced to two years in state prison.
Juan Carlos Perez, 31, of Wildomar admitted the felony count under a plea agreement with the Riverside County District Attorney’s Office. In exchange for his admission, prosecutors dropped four related charges against Perez.
During a hearing Friday at the Southwest Justice Center in Murrieta, Superior Court Judge Jeff Zimel certified the terms of the plea deal and imposed the sentence stipulated by the prosecution and defense.
According to sheriff’s Sgt. Robert Thomas, on the night of Feb. 1, 2023, deputies were sent to the 33000 block of Mountain View Avenue, near Lakeview Terrace, to investigate reports of an assault.
Deputies found the victim, whose identity was not released, alleging she had been “strangled” and had suffered other life-threatening abuse at the hands of the defendant, Thomas said.
“The victim suffered moderate injuries,” he said.
Deputies began scouring the area, and shortly before 7 a.m. the following day, they encountered Perez at the intersection of Honeydew Lane and Vine Street in Lake Elsinore, where he was taken into custody without incident, the sergeant said.
“A search warrant was served at Perez’s residence, and evidence related to the crime, including a firearm, was seized,” he said.
According to court records, Perez had a domestic violence conviction from 2021, as well as a conviction for driving on a suspended license.