Man Gets Prison for Verbal Threat

A Palmdale man has been sentenced to 25 years to life in prison under California’s three-strikes law for threatening his girlfriend and her children, authorities said Wednesday.

Leonard Williams, 46, had turned down a plea bargain that would have sent him to prison for six years, lawyers said.

The charges stemmed from an incident last October when Williams argued with his girlfriend and then left.

Finding sheriff’s deputies at his home when he returned, Williams punched his fist into his palm, saying, “Whichever one of you . . . called the police is going to pay tonight.”

A jury in February found that statement, with the gesture, sufficient to constitute a threat of physical violence, officials said.

Deputy Public Defender Manuel Martinez said in court Tuesday the case was “blown out of proportion.” Prosecutors could not be reached for comment.

Williams’ prior convictions include assault, kidnapping and robbery dating back to 1983. In spite of a plea for leniency from Williams’ girlfriend, Judge David Mintz denied a defense request to disregard the earlier offenses and imposed the 25-to-life prison term.