A man accused of entering a Gainesville home with a large stick and frightening a man and his stepdaughter was sentenced to a year in jail, according to court documents.
Miguel Villapando-Gomez, 49, pleaded guilty to second-degree home invasion, simple assault and possession of a drug object. Superior Court Judge Jason Deal sentenced him to 10 years with the first 12 months in jail and the remainder on probation.
First-degree home invasion involves intent to commit a forcible felony while inside the residence, while the second-degree statute concerns misdemeanors.
Court officials informed Villapando-Gomez that he would likely be deported as a result of his guilty plea.
The Sheriff’s Office’s jail database listed Villapando-Gomez’s expected release date as April 21.
The Hall County Sheriff’s Office said a man and his stepdaughter were getting ready for school around 7 a.m. April 21 in their Joe Chandler Road home.
Villapando-Gomez, who is believed to be homeless, hit the glass storm door with a 6-foot-long tree branch, according to the Sheriff’s Office.
“The suspect opened the storm door and entered the house, closed the main door behind him and locked it,” Sheriff’s Office spokeswoman B.J. Williams wrote in an email. “He then told both occupants to get on the ground.”
The homeowner, Mark McKinney, got his revolver from the bedroom, while his daughter ran and hid under her bed.
“I kept hollering at him to leave, and I don’t know if he understanded what I was saying,” he told The Times last year.
Faced with the threat of being shot, Villapando-Gomez ran outside. Deputies arrived on scene and arrested Villapando-Gomez.
On probation, Villapando-Gomez would have to complete a day reporting center program for drugs and mental health. Day reporting centers, which are under the purview of the Department of Community Supervision, are non-residential programs focused on counseling and educational programming.