VAN NUYS, Calif. — A man was sentenced Tuesday to 180 days in county jail after a commissioner found he violated the terms of his probation by failing to provide documentation showing he completed required courses, despite his claim that he was never told to return to court with proof.
In a violation of probation hearing at the Van Nuys Courthouse West, Commissioner Dennis Mulcahy sentenced the man to 180 days in county jail over missing documentation, stating that the absence of proof meant he did not follow the initial terms of probation.
The man was originally charged on Jan. 4, 2023, with two counts of P.C. section 273(a), which, according to California’s Penal Code, is “willfully exposing a child to unjustifiable pain, suffering or danger.” He was placed on probation and ordered to attend domestic violence and parenting courses.
According to Commissioner Mulcahy, the man agreed to the terms of probation, including returning to court to provide documents showing that he had completed both courses.
However, the man alleged that he was not told he had to return to court and that, although he completed both courses, he does not have access to documentation that would prove this. At the time, he was represented by a private defense attorney, so the court was unable to independently verify his completion of the required courses.
Deputy District Attorney Andy Soliman argued that the sentence was deserved because the man had already been given leniency through probation and failed to comply with the conditions. He also explained that during the probation period in 2025, the man was caught driving with a license that had been revoked after a driving under the influence offense.
Soliman asserted that this, along with the probation violation and failure to appear in court for an extended period, warranted “some sort of consequence.”
A deputy public defender advocated for a lighter sentence, citing the man’s current employment and his role as the primary provider for his child.
The defense also highlighted his previous homelessness and substance abuse issues. Although he has been sober for the past three years, the public defender argued that if he were remanded to county jail, it would be a “huge setback” for him.
The defense first asked Commissioner Mulcahy to consider extending probation by three years and ordering the completion of new domestic violence and parenting courses.
After the commissioner denied that request, the defense made an alternative request, asking whether the man could instead receive extended probation and complete community labor in addition to both courses. The commissioner denied that request as well.
Commissioner Mulcahy then remanded the man to serve 180 days in county jail, with probation terminated upon completion of the sentence.
Follow the Vanguard on Social Media – X, Instagram and Facebook. Subscribe the Vanguard News letters. To make a tax-deductible donation, please visit davisvanguard.org/donate or give directly through ActBlue. Your support will ensure that the vital work of the Vanguard continues.
