Castroville man sentenced to prison for domestic violence and possession of illegal firearm

54 year old, Michael Scott Pipitone of Castroville was sentenced to five years and four months in prison for felony domestic violence and firearm offenses. On April 9, 2014 the Monterey County Auto Theft Task Force responded to Pipitone’s home on Del Monte Farms Road in Castroville to arrest a wanted felon known to be staying with Pipitone. Officers found a bolt-action rifle, a loaded pistol magazine, and more than 30 rounds of ammunition inside the home.

According to authorities, Pipitone had prior felony convictions and should not have had those items in his possession. A jury convicted Pipitone of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition back in March. After the trial, Pipitone pleaded guilty to a separate offense where he was arrested for battering his girlfriend during an argument over property. Pipitone punched his girlfriend, threatened to kill her, threw her onto the ground, strangled her, and disabled her car so she couldn’t leave. Pipitone pleaded guilty to inflicting a corporal injury on a cohabitant and admitted a prior strike conviction.