HUTCHINSON, Kan. — A 34-year-old Hutchinson man who entered pleas in two serious domestic cases was sentenced Monday afternoon to three years in prison.

Charles Mendenhall III entered pleas earlier this year to aggravated assault with a deadly weapon in the case from Dec. 24 of last year and aggravated burglary for the case from Jan. 10 of this year.

Judge Trish Rose sided with protecting the community when she handed down the sentence and denied a defense request for some form of probation. The state had argued for prison, calling him a danger to the community. District Attorney Keith Schroeder told the court that what he did in both cases were “acts of violence.”

His attorney argued that he is getting treatment, both for substance abuse and also mental treatment through Horizons. She wanted the probation so he could continue the treatment.

The victim also spoke at sentencing and also argued for a non-prison sanction and to give him a second chance.

But Judge Rose was bothered by him waiving a gun around and firing three shots in the home with children inside during the first altercation.

Mendenhall told the court before sentencing that he was struggling during that time and admits he made a serious mistake. He says, in the second incident, he couldn’t stand being away from home and tried to sneak in, but a window broke and then police came. He denies he was holding the victim against her will.

Mendenhall had been charged with kidnapping, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, criminal discharge of a firearm, criminal threat and two counts of aggravated endangerment of a child in the Christmas Eve incident where he held police at bay for several hours.

In the case from Jan. 10, he was charged with aggravated battery, aggravated burglary, interference with law enforcement, violation of a protection from abuse order, criminal restraint and battery of Hutchinson Police Officer Josh Long.

He was sentenced to three years in prison for the two crimes from the two incidents.