Charles City man receives six-month jail term for assault and battery

A Charles City man will spend the next six months in jail for assaulting and battering a family member.

Gary Antonio Jones, 27, of the 9400 block of Holly Tree Lane, entered guilty pleas to two counts of assault and battery on a family member, and one count each of misdemeanor obstruction of justice and strangulation as part of a plea agreement reached Friday morning in Charles City Circuit Court.

In a summary of evidence by Charles City Commonwealth’s Attorney Tyler Klink, on Sept. 5, 2023, Jones engaged in an argument with a family member which eventually became physical. Jones knocked down the victim and when another family member tried to intervene, he knocked them down as well. Klink commented that pictures of the victim’s neck had marks of strangulation, but there was currently no evidence besides a text message threatening to choke the victim out.

Under the agreement, Jones received a 12-month sentence with six months suspended on one count of the misdemeanor assault and battery conviction. All 12 months on the second assault and battery conviction and the misdemeanor obstruction of justice (for threatening the victim to not show up in court) were suspended. There was no finding on the strangulation charge as it has been deferred a year upon Jones meeting certain conditions that include good behavior, not drinking any alcohol, and not using any illegal substances. If the defendant successfully completes that, the strangulation charge will be dismissed.