In Frederick, Maryland, Circuit Court officials sentenced 39-year-old Johnathan Robert Spacil to 19.5 years in prison for first-degree assault, witness intimidation, and possession of child pornography, among other offenses. The sentencing stemmed from a domestic violence case, with an additional 25 years of incarceration suspended.
Spacil, who pleaded guilty to all charges on September 12th, will serve five years of supervised probation upon release and must register as a Tier One Sex Offender for life.
According to the Frederick County State’s Attorney’s Office, sheriff’s deputies responded to a domestic violence report on February 5, 2025, where they met the victim, who alleged that Spacil had held her down and choked her earlier that day. Deputies observed visible injuries, including a bite mark on her face, redness of the skin, and finger marks around her neck. Spacil was taken into custody at the scene.
Over the following months, the victim disclosed additional incidents of abuse. At the time of this latest assault, Spacil was already on probation for a previous offense involving the same victim. Initially, the victim had chosen to remain in the relationship and not cooperate with prosecution, but she later decided to fully participate after the most recent incident.
A search of Spacil’s cell phone revealed images of child pornography involving children under nine years old. Prosecutors also reported that Spacil tried to pressure the victim into withdrawing her cooperation, but she ultimately addressed the court during sentencing, sharing her journey from being a victim to becoming a survivor.
State’s Attorney Charlie Smith praised the victim’s courage, noting that it often takes multiple attempts before domestic violence victims are able to leave abusive relationships. “Domestic violence is cyclical and escalates over time without intervention,” Smith stated. “When victims feel safe and healed enough to participate in prosecutions, we see true accountability for the offender — and that’s exactly what happened here.”
