Vicious criminal threatening case detailed at sentencing

Zachary Powers is led from the courtroom after his plea and sentencing on Tuesday. (Lebanon Voice photo)

DOVER, N.H. - Despite pleading guilty to racking the slide of a handgun and pointing it at his girlfriend's head threatening her life, a Farmington man was sentenced on Tuesday to spend just a year in jail, but not before being sternly admonished by a Strafford Superior Court judge for his cruel and reckless actions.

Zachary Powers, 23, of 1083 Route 11, will be eligible for release after eight months, but will not be allowed immediate work release privileges for which he'd asked.

As part of a plea deal worked out with prosecutors, Powers pleaded guilty to three counts of criminal threatening, including two felony counts, and one charge of misdemeanor simple assault.

A false imprisonment charge was nol prossed.

Powers on Nov. 5 threatened to kill his girlfriend if she tried to leave their residence with their son saying, she would be dead "before she left the driveway." He also racked the firearm while blocking her exit from a bedroom.

A third misdemeanor-level criminal threatening charge was for threatening to "punch her like a man" and break her nose, while a single misdemeanor simple assault charge was for pushing her head.

The victim in the case read a passionate four-minute statement, urging a stiffer sentence.

"He tried to destroy my life. He slandered my name," she said.

But it was the racking of a semi-automatic pistol - which was never recovered - that disturbed Judge Mark E. Howard the most.

"Racking the slide of a firearm and putting it to someone's head, that doesn't sound like a county farm crime," he said.

Assistant County Attorney Tim Sullivan pointed out to the court that Powers had no criminal history, which led prosecutors to accept the terms. He said eight months would serve as a punitive measure, and that Powers would have to comply with all drug, alcohol and anger management counseling as well.

He'll also be on probation for two years and will have a felony sentence of no less than two years or more than four imposed if he doesn't stay on good behavior. He also must have no contact with the victim.

Howard said he'd go along with the deal though it's "against my better judgment."