Casillas agrees to plea deal on assault charges

A Holland Township man charged with felonious assault, among other weapons charges, has agreed to continue with his guilty plea and will be sentenced on the lower end of guidelines.

Juan Casillas, who is charged with assault with a dangerous weapon-felonious assault, firearms possession by a felon and felony firearms, requested late last month his guilty plea to all three counts be withdrawn.

Monday, Dec. 15, Casillas withdrew that motion and instead requested he be approved to attend boot camp. As a result of his plea, Casillas faces a maximum of 36 months in prison for the charges. He will serve up to 24 months for the felony firearm charge and up to 12 months on the other two, which will be served concurrent with each other but consecutive with the firearm charge. He was given credit for 71 days served.

Casillas could have faced more prison time for the charges to which he pleaded guilty. Felonious assault is punishable by up to four years in prison and/or a $2,000 fine. Firearms possession by a felon can lead to a five-year prison term and/or a $5,000 fine. Felony firearms is punished with two years in prison.

Casillas is accused of threatening an ex-girlfriend with a handgun about 3:25 a.m. Aug. 24 at the Value Place hotel, 2630 Van Ommen Drive. When the woman drove away, Casillas allegedly fired a shot, though neither the victim nor the victim’s vehicle was struck. Casillas has said in court the shot was fired in the air in order to scare the woman.

Following the shooting, Casillas fled in a vehicle before being tracked to a home in Holland Township. He ran from the residence through a backdoor and a canine unit found him along a nearby tree line. The dog also found the handgun police believe was used in the shooting.

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