57°
Frederick resident Jesse Cook, 44, has been sentenced to 25 years with all but 20 suspended to actively serve in the Division of Corrections, State's Attorney Charlie Smith said.
He was also ordered that Cook serve three years of supervised probation upon his release after he was found guilty of first-degree and second-degree assault by a Frederick County jury in June following a three-day trial.
On June 16, 2021, deputies from the Frederick County Sheriff’s office responded to a reported domestic assault in progress inside a home in the 5300 block of Kingsbrook Drive.
During the 911 call, Smith said that the woman reported that she locked herself inside her car and that her boyfriend was “aggressively attempting to get to her,” according to Smith.
Cook was detained by sheriff's deputies upon their arrival, and denied assaulting his girlfriend, though the investigation determined that an argument over money sparked when she advised him that she wished to end their relationship.
During the domestic assault, prosecutors said that Cook strangled the woman to the point that she was seeing black and was concerned for her life.
The victim was eventually able to run out of the house and lock herself inside her car, authorities added. (Cook) "proceeded to nearly rip off the car door handle and bang on her car windows before law enforcement arrived," they continued.
Officials noted that the woman “had injuries consistent with strangulation as documented by Frederick Health Hospital’s Forensic Nursing Program.”
“The courts and juries are recognizing the seriousness of injury and potential death from strangulation,” Smith stated. "This strong sentence should serve as a warning that this and all forms of domestic violence are totally unacceptable and will be aggressively prosecuted and punished by lengthy prison terms.”
“I hope that the victim in this case can find some comfort in knowing that Mr. Cook will not be out of prison for a lengthy period.”
Click here to follow Daily Voice Frederick and receive free news updates.
