Marlon Randal Ashmore of Kaplan was facing a possible 20 years in prison had he been found guilty of two separate counts of Domestic Abuse Battery, fourth offense which is a felony.

Instead, he’ll only serve three years in prison after the attorneys reached a plea agreement before the trial began.

Ashmore agreed to plead guilty to Domestic Abuse Battery third offense on two different charges. With the chance of going to prison for a long time, the 50-year-old Ashmore elected to take the better deal of only serving three years for both crimes.

His two sentences will run at the same time.

Ashmore will also have to pay a $5,000 fine for both charges.

Linda Veazey was his attorney, while Ted Ayo was the state’s attorney.

Domestic abuse battery is the intentional use of force or violence committed by one household member upon the person of another household member.

A “household member” means any person of the opposite sex presently living in the same residence or living in the same residence within five years of the occurrence of the domestic abuse battery with the defendant as a spouse, whether married or not, or any child presently living in the same residence or living in the same residence within five years immediately prior to the occurrence of domestic abuse battery, or any child of the offender regardless of where the child resides.