San Diego

A sailor who served in Operation Desert Storm was sentenced Friday to one year in County Jail for strangling a man who made sexual advances toward him when the sailor was drunk.

Noting the unusual circumstances of the case, San Diego Superior Court Judge Allan Preckel suspended a six-year state prison term for Christopher Betenbaugh, 20.

Preckel ordered Betenbaugh to pay $8,000 in funeral expenses to the sister of the victim, Agripino de los Reyes, 38, who was found dead Dec. 20 in his apartment in the 5200 block of Hilltop Drive.

Betenbaugh had been charged with murder but pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter Jan. 15. He could have received a sentence of 11 years in state prison.

The six-year prison term is to be suspended for five years. If Betenbaugh violates terms of his sentence, he could be sent to prison for six years.

Betenbaugh’s attorney, Milly Durovic, said De los Reyes picked up Betenbaugh at a bar frequented by sailors and promised to take him home to his ship. Instead, Betenbaugh awoke to find himself in De los Reyes’ apartment, where he was being molested, Durovic said.

Deputy Dist. Atty. Stan Berry urged a prison term of six years, saying Betenbaugh used “excessive violence” in “overreacting” to the victim’s advances.