By james art PHOENIX — A man was sentenced to life in prison for two cases of domestic violence in Phoenix, the Maricopa County District Attorney’s Office said Saturday.
Eric Pastrano, 49, was found guilty of five felonies in August, including domestic violence against his ex-wife.
“Living in fear of your life is no way to live,” District Attorney Rachel Mitchell said in a release. “The relief this sentence brings to this victim knowing her perpetrator will never leave prison is the best outcome for our service.”
What domestic violence was Eric Pastrano convicted of?
On April 2, 2023, Pastrano threatened his ex-wife via voicemail and numerous text messages, according to the MCAO.
Later that day, he went to her home in Phoenix and left when he saw she had a gun. Her daughter and granddaughter, who were there at the time, were forced to hide in the bathroom while the police were called.
Pastrano returned to her home armed with a gun and wearing a ski mask and bulletproof vest on May 9, 2023, when he broke in through a back door.
He fired at her through the bedroom door and narrowly missed her, pistol-whipping her and choking her once inside before she passed out.
Pastrano was a prohibited possessor at the time of the crimes due to felony convictions in 1995, 2011 and 2022. All of them involved felonies, including aggravated assault against his ex-wife.