Castroville man gets prison time for domestic violence against girlfriend

CASTROVILLE, Calif. (KION) A Castroville man has been sentenced to four years in prison after a jury found him guilty of inflicting injury on a person he was dating and violating a criminal protective order.

The Monterey County District Attorney's Office said the woman was driving her boyfriend, Joel Anthony Cervantes, home from a Monterey brewery in July of last year when they got into a fight.

At one point, the DA's Office said Cervantes started punching her in the face, which they said caused bruising, swelling and a cut on her lip. The victim was able to get away and drive to her sister's house, where they called the police.

The woman said that after Cervantes was arrested, he contacted her to tell her not to testify against him and to drop the charges several times. When the charges were not dropped, he reportedly started threatening her.