NORTHAMPTON — A man accused of abusing his pregnant girlfriend admitted in court Wednesday to assaulting her a year ago in her Amherst apartment.
Christopher E. Santana, 27, pleaded guilty to assault and battery on a pregnant woman, assault and battery on a household member, defacing property and resisting arrest. He originally also faced two counts each of the assault charges, but one count of each was dropped.
The woman and Santana are now married and have four young children together, his lawyer, Joe Smith, of Springfield, said in court.
Hampshire Superior Court Judge John Ferrara accepted a plea deal that spares Santana from spending any more time in jail.
As part of the deal, Ferrara sentenced Santana to 2 ½ years in the Hampshire County House of Correction, with credit for 210 days served and the remainder of the sentenced suspended with five years of probation.
Under the terms of his probation, Santana must take a course intended for batterers, abstain from drugs and alcohol, submit to random testing, not harm his wife and attend counseling, according to the district attorney’s office.
Assistant Northwestern District Attorney Matthew Russo said that, on June 12 of last year, Santana arrived at his now-wife’s apartment intoxicated. When the two began to argue, the woman moved her three small children into a bedroom.
Russo continued that a short time later Santana went outside the apartment where he shattered a light fixture. The woman went to investigate the shattering noise, and the verbal sparring continued, Russo said. Santana then placed his hand over her mouth.
When the woman tried to leave with the youngsters — including a 2-year-old child in her hands — Santana grabbed her by one of her arms and dragged her to the ground, along with the child. Russo said the woman was 30 weeks pregnant at the time.
Police arrived after one of the children, a 9-year-old, called 911, Russo said. As the woman and children got away, Santana retreated back inside the apartment, destroying household itemsuntil police broke down the door.
Police reported hearing the sounds of a knife being sharpened before they entered, and spotted the sharpener when they got in the apartment, Russo said.
After putting up a struggle, Santana was subdued with pepper spray and then arrested, according to Russo.
He said the recommendation is appropriate “because it’s going to address all major concerns the commonwealth has with this case,” including safety of the victim as well as Santana seeking treatment for alcohol abuse.
Smith, Santana’s attorney, said most of the defendant’s troubles can be traced to alcohol abuse, which began at a young age after his father left his family.
The subsequent alcohol abuse was a coping mechanism meant to try and “fill a void” left by his departed father, Smith told the judge.
Santana wants to be the father figure “he never had” to each of his children, Smith said.
Ferrara he went accepted the plea agreement “somewhat reluctantly,”due to Santana’s “assaultive behavior” dating back to 2006, but was reassured by the length of Santana’s probation.
Michael Majchrowicz can be reached at mmajchrowicz@gazettenet.com or 413-585-5234.