One day sentence for harassment

EPHRATA — A Moses Lake man was sentenced to a day in jail after he held two people at gun point in July.

Laurence J. Libsack, 49, pleaded guilty to two counts of harassment — threats to kill, after charges of assault in the first degree and kidnapping in the second degree were dropped as part of a plea agreement with deputy prosecutor Doug Mitchell.

State guidelines set Libsack’s sentencing range at between four months and a year, according to court records. The man received a first time offender waiver, lowering his sentence to a day.

Grant County Superior Court Judge Evan Sperline ordered Libsack to obtain a mental health evaluation and follow Department of Corrections recommendations regarding counseling and treatment.

Libsack invited a woman to his house in late July. She came with a friend and after about five minutes, the man started yelling at them, according to a Grant County sheriff’s report. When the two tried to leave, Libsack pulled out a shotgun, ordering them to stay.

While he was holding them at gun point, he told the woman he was going to kill her, chop her up and put her on a plane. He told the man to leave, but he hit Libsack, knocking him to the ground. The woman grabbed the gun, running outside and throwing it.

The two got into the man’s truck and drove away and she called 9-1-1, according to the police report.

When police questioned Libsack, he admitted pulling the gun because he didn’t want them to leave, adding he was in love with the woman and wanted to talk to her about starting a relationship, according to the police report.

Prosecutors were not available to comment.