Monroe man sent to state prison on strangulation count

A Monroe County man was sentenced to a long state prison term Monday in Carbon County court after pleading guilty to a felony count of strangulation.

Jonathan Julio Perez, 34, of Tobyhanna, was sentenced by President Judge Roger N. Nanovic II to serve 30 months to six years in a state correction institution. In exchange for the plea, two counts of simple assault and one of aggravated assault were dropped.

Perez was arrested by Lansford police for an incident on Nov. 8, 2018, at a home along West Patterson Street. Police were dispatched to the area after a construction worker called 911 to report a female outside a residence “all bloody.” Officers found the woman bleeding from the face. She told police that Perez, who was identified as her boyfriend at the time, had assaulted her over a video game.

By the time officers arrived, Perez had fled the area on foot. An alert was put out for him and he was eventually taken into custody some time later.

Perez told the court, “I made a lot of mistakes.” He said he and the victim had been involved in a “lot of fights” before the assault, but claimed it was the first time he ever struck a woman. He claimed he has mental health issues for which he is now on medication. He added, “I lost it, I’m not proud of it.”

The victim told the court she wanted an order of no contact imposed on Perez.

Assistant District Attorney Brian B. Gazo, who prosecuted the case, said at a preliminary hearing a part of the bail conditions was that Perez have no contact with the victim, but he attempted to contact her by phone. Perez is currently incarcerated in the county prison on the charges.

Gazo also said that the victim was not objecting to a request by defense counsel, attorney Matthew J. Mottola of the public defender’s office, that Perez be made eligible for the boot camp program in the state system. The boot camp is a strict military-style program that runs between six and 18 months. If he successfully completes the program he will be released early from his sentence. If he fails to complete it, or is dismissed from it for violating the rules, then he must serve his full sentence.

Nanovic said he would go along with the request since the victim did not object, and he would also impose a condition of no contact of any kind. Perez was also ordered to get both drug and alcohol and mental health evaluations and follow any recommendations for treatment, attend and successfully complete anger management counseling, pay court costs of about $1,000 and supply a DNA sample.

He was given credit for 90 days spent in jail to date on the charges.