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Jason Hooks, age 37, of Schenectady, was sentenced to seven years behind bars, the maximum allowed by law, in Schenectady County Court on Friday, Dec. 16.
It followed his jury conviction for second-degree assault, a violent felony, stemming from an attack that occurred in Schenectady in October 2021.
Prosecutors said Hooks and the victim were sitting inside a vehicle early on the morning of Oct. 30, 2021 when he became angry and attacked her with a travel coffee mug, repeatedly smashing her in the face.
The woman was left with serious injuries, including a broken nose, a hemorrhage to her right eye, bruising, a black eye, and broken fingernails.
She also lost a “substantial” amount of blood, prosecutors said.
Investigators later corroborated her claims with photos of her injuries, as well as blood stains found inside the car and text messages from Hooks.
Testifying in his own defense, Hooks told the jury that he had accidentally spilled coffee on his lap and flipped the travel mug in the victim’s direction, causing her injuries.
It took the jury just over an hour to decide that Hooks had intentionally caused her physical injury with a dangerous instrument.
However, the jury acquitted him of misdemeanor criminal mischief for allegedly preventing the woman from calling 911.
Following the verdict, Schenectady County District Attorney Robert Carney thanked the victim for cooperating with his office to help secure the conviction.
“We know it wasn’t easy for her to relive this traumatic event, but she performed an important service to the community by doing so,” Carney said.
“Even though their relationship is over, Mr. Hooks has shown through his history that he will continue to perpetrate domestic violence against intimate partners.
"By sharing her own experience with him, she has protected his future victims from harm. It was brave of her to do so.”
According to prosecutors, Hooks has a history of domestic violence with multiple partners and was previously identified by the Schenectady County High Risk Domestic Violence Team as someone to be monitored.
In addition to his prison sentence, a judge ordered Hooks to complete five years of post-release supervision. He is also barred from having any contact with the victim for the next 19 years.
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