Man jailed for domestic assault in Plymouth

Daniel Defreitas, 40, of Lower Providence guilty of felony strangulation

NORRISTOWN >> A domestic assault in Plymouth Township during which a Lower Providence man choked a woman has landed the man behind bars.

Daniel Laine Defreitas, 40, of the unit block of Church Road, was sentenced in Montgomery County Court to 11½ to 23 months in the county jail after he pleaded guilty to a felony charge of strangulation in connection with the July 4, 2022, incident in Plymouth Township.

Judge Risa Vetri Ferman also ordered Defreitas to complete three years’ probation following parole, meaning Defreitas will be under court supervision for about five years.

The judge said Defreitas must undergo a drug and alcohol evaluation while in jail and can be eligible for early parole directly to an inpatient treatment program if it is recommended after the evaluation.

Defreitas also must complete domestic violence and anger management counseling programs, the judge said.

The investigation began about 3 a.m. July 4 when Plymouth Township police responded to a residence in the 400 block of Jefferson Street for a report of an assault victim, according to a criminal complaint. The caller reported a physical assault of her daughter by Defreitas who was the victim’s boyfriend at the time, according to the arrest affidavit.

Arriving officers said the victim had “visible injuries to her face, neck and left eye” and she reported that she was assaulted by Defreitas during an argument.

“During the course of the verbal argument, she felt in danger when Defreitas got in her face so she started screaming for help from her mother. Defreitas then grabbed a hold of her neck with both hands, impeding her breathing, and began choking her to stop her from screaming,” Plym

outh Township Police Officer Paul Subbio alleged in the criminal complaint, adding Defreitas struck the woman in the face causing her to fall to the floor.

“Once on the ground, Defreitas proceeded to get on top of her and choke her again. Defreitas stopped choking her and stepped away after she kicked him in the groin area, allowing her to get up off the ground,” alleged Subbio, adding the woman then ran to get help from her mother.

The victim suffered injuries to her mouth, left eye, left side of her face and right side of her neck, “which required medical attention,” Subbio wrote in court papers.

The victim reported that after the assault Defreitas took her laptop computer and cellphone.

Other charges of robbery, simple assault, receiving stolen property and harassment were dismissed against Defreitas.