Man guilty of choking pregnant woman

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) - A man could face up to 14 years in state prison, after being found guilty of choking his former girlfriend who was 39 weeks pregnant at the time.

The Erie County District Attorney’s Office says 29-year-old Eli Casillas has been found guilty of a vicious attack on the woman, leaving her with a bruise in the shape of his hand on her neck, bruises from repeated strikes with a metal broom and choking the victim until she nearly lost consciousness.

Casillas was found guilty of second-degree strangulation and second-degree assault. He is a second felony offender and remains in custody. He will be sentenced in March.

DA Frank Sedita said, “such savage acts of domestic violence cannot be tolerated in a civil society and will continue to be aggressively prosecuted by this office as they always have.”