An Edgemont woman who faced up to 15-year in in prison after pleading guilty to pointing a gun at her estranged husband and trying to shoot him during a domestic dispute this summer has instead been sentenced to 15 years of supervised probation.
49-year old Rebecca Wasserburger was also fined $1,000. She had accepted a plea agreement to plead guilty to Domestic Abuse Aggravated Assault with a Deadly Weapon.
In return, the state dropped a charge of Attempted 1st-Degree Murder and made no sentencing recommendation.
Wasserburger had been held on $300,000 bail since the August 31st incident at the couple’s home, but was released shortly after Judge Jeff Connolly handed down the probation sentence. `
The Fall River County Herald Star says Judge Connolly described the case as “complicated” and leaving him to make a difficult decision, in part because the victim had urged him to “put her away as long as you can.”
Connolly said his choice of probation was based on the “reality” of the case, explaining that Wasserburger would likely be eligible for parole in 7-½ years and be released with no supervision.
He pointed out that the presentence report said Wasserburger was unlikely to reoffend and that by putting her on probation, she would be under supervision for the full 15 years.
Wasserburger didn’t completely escape jail time, but won’t spend any additional time behind bars. Judge Connolly ordered her to serve 180 days in jail, but gave her credit for the 107 days she’d served since the incident and suspended the other 73.
Her terms of probation include no alcohol or drug use, undergo chemical and mental health evaluations, and have full-time employment.