NEW HAVEN — A New Haven man has been sentenced to probation following a deal with Addison County prosecutors in connection with a Jan. 20 domestic assault case during which he allegedly threatened to shoot himself.
Michael Lepore-Capek on Feb. 4 was handed down a sentence in Addison County Superior Court, criminal division, of nine to 18 months with probation, all suspended with credit for five days served, after pleading guilty to a misdemeanor charge of domestic assault.
Vermont State Police Trooper Matthew R. Daley was called to a Hunt Road residence at around 2:30 a.m. on Jan. 30 amid reports of a man who had allegedly assaulted a woman and had pointed a handgun to his own head.
Upon arriving, police handcuffed Lepore-Capek and found three 0.32-caliber bullets in one of his jacket pockets, according to court records. Police found the black Ruger LCP handgun that Lepore-Capek had allegedly been wielding in the kitchen of the home, Daley’s court affidavit states.
The victim told police that she and Lepore-Capek had been discussing a problem within their relationship that evening. The victim said she thought the pair had defused the tension, when Lepore-Capek allegedly did something with his cell phone to annoy her, according to court records. The victim said she grabbed Lepore-Capek’s cell phone and threw it across the room, whereupon Lepore-Capek allegedly put her into a headlock, according to Daley’s affidavit.
After releasing her from a headlock, the victim told police that Lepore-Capek grabbed an initial firearm, but couldn’t find a clip or bullets to put into it; and then he returned from a bedroom with a handgun, according to court records.
“Michael then tried to load the handgun by dropping bullets into the gun and then closing the slide,” Daley’s affidavit states. “(The victim) said she blocked Michael from leaving and pleaded with him to stay at the house and speak with her. At this point, according to (the victim), Michael took the gun and pointed it at his head and told her to move ‘or things will get messy.’”
Lepore-Capek then allegedly drove away from the home, but soon returned, whereupon police took him into custody, according to court records.