Teen Sentenced in Assault Case

A former Westlake High School football player who assaulting two teens at a party was sentenced Thursday to 30 days in a work-release program.

Chris Catalano, 18, was also ordered to complete 120 hours of community service and pay restitution to his victims. He will be on probation for three years, and is required to stay away from alcohol.

Catalano was a football player at Westlake High last March when he attended a house party in Thousand Oaks. He chased two teens who arrived at the party and kicked and punched them, witnesses said at a preliminary hearing.

In October, Catalano, now a freshman on a football scholarship at the University of Wisconsin, pleaded guilty to misdemeanor charges of assault and battery. The teen, who did not have any prior criminal offenses, could have faced up to 18 months in jail.

During Thursday’s hearing in Ventura County Superior Court, Catalano sighed when the judge read the sentence. Outside the courtroom, defense attorney Jay Johnson said he believed the sentence was fair, but said the case was blown out of proportion.

“It was a high school fight,” he said. “He should not have participated in it. He should have backed away. Hopefully, that’s what he will do in the future.”

But Bob Majorino, whose son was injured in the fight, said he believed it was much more serious. “Our belief was that this was an attack,” he told the judge during the sentencing hearing. “You must send the message to the other kids that what was done was way out of line and was against the law.”

Judge Steven Hintz wished Catalano luck and said he hoped Catalano was getting his life back together “so something like this won’t happen again.”