Prosecutors say he tried intimidate the victim.
Johnathan Robert Spacil (Photo from Frederick County State’s Attorney’s Office)
Frederick, Md (KM) In Circuit Court on Tuesday, a Frederick man was sentenced in a domestic violence incident. Johnathan Robert Spacil, 39, was given 19.5 years in prison for 1st-degree assault, witness intimidation and other offenses. This sentence also includes prison time for possession of child pornography.
He pleaded guilty to all counts on September 12th. The court suspended an additional 25 years.
When he’s released, Spancil will be placed on five years of supervised probation. and must register as Tier One Sex Offender for life.
The State’s Attorney’s Office says Sheriff’s Deputies responded to a domestic violence call on February 5th, 2025. . They met the victim who told them that Spacil had held her down and “choked” her earlier in the day. Authorities say they noticed a bite mark on the victim’s face, and her extremely red skin. . They also say the victim had finger marks on both sides of her neck. Spacil was taken into custody.
During the course of a few months, the State’s Attorney’s Office says the victim told police of other instances of abuse. The defendant was out on probation for assaulting the victim when this latest incident occurred. The victim chose to stay in the relationship, and not participate in the prosecution at that time, the State’s Attorney’s Office says. But following this recent incident, the victim decided to take part in the investigation.
Detectives examined Spacil’s cell phone and found images of child pornography with children younger than nine years of age.
The State’s Attorney’s Office says the defendant tired to get the victim not to cooperate with the prosecution, but she spoke during sentencing, detailing her life from that of a victim to a survivor.
“Prosecutors doing this work understand that it often takes a domestic violence victim upward of seven times to leave an abusive relationship. Domestic violence is cyclical and escalates over time without intervention. When victims feel safe, and healed enough to participate in prosecutions, we see true accountability for the offender. That’s what happened here,” says State’s Attorney Charlie Smith, in a statement.
By Kevin McManus