Spouse Abuse Sentence for Father in Ocean Swim

A Costa Mesa man who gained nationwide attention for a two-mile ocean swim with his young daughter has been placed on two years’ probation, fined and ordered to complete a counseling program after pleading guilty to spousal abuse, a prosecutor said Thursday.

Irv Krespi, 61, was arrested at his home only hours after the Aug. 15 swim. He pleaded guilty on Sept. 15 to charges of spousal abuse and resisting arrest, Deputy Dist. Atty. Christine Simmons said.

Krespi said Thursday that he is innocent of the charges and had dozens of witnesses to prove his case, but pleaded guilty because he wanted to spend time with his daughter instead of fighting false charges.

“I am absolutely not guilty of those charges,” he said. “It was a hard decision to make.”

The same day Krespi entered the plea, he was arrested a second time.

According to police, Krespi and his neighbor were arguing about their daughters playing together in front of their apartment complex. The neighbor told police that Krespi grabbed the neighbor’s daughter’s stuffed animal and ripped it apart, police said.

Simmons said she did not know whether charges will be filed in that incident.

Krespi said he also is not guilty of any wrongdoing in the second incident, and will prove it in court.