A 31-year-old Nickerson man convicted of stalking his ex-wife after a bench trial in front of Judge Trish Rose was sentenced by that same judge to an additional 60-months in prison, less then half of what the state was asking.

Mark Kendall had been found guilty of one count of stalking and one count of violating a protection from stalking order.

His attorney, Lee Timan asked for a departure and the judge granted less time by giving the 60-months.

Kendall had been charged with multiple counts of stalking, and violating a protection from stalking order. He’s alleged to have called his ex-wife’s phone on four occasions, May 23, and then three days in a row on July 6th, 7th, and 8th, of last year, but again the defense contends no contact was actually made. This was done while he was in the El Dorado Correctional Facility.

The Defense still contends he was trying to contact his daughter. Kendall told the judge that he is a changed man and wanted an opportunity to prove it, but his ex-wife says she still fears him, and knows what he’s capable of.

Kendall had been sentenced to prison in a previous stalking case also involving his ex-wife. He was sentenced to 66-month’s of the 78-month sentence in prison, with the rest to be served in the Reno County Jail.