SYRACUSE — A Syracuse man was sentenced yesterday, Thursday, Jan. 19, after strangling a woman and resisting law enforcement in June. Dustin Will Wright, 25, 8899 E. Black Point Road, Syracuse, pleaded guilty to both charges.

Dustin Wright

On June 30, officers with the Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Department responded to a 911 text. They arrived and spoke with the caller, a female, who told them Wright, her boyfriend, had battered her and she had been afraid to call 911. Officers learned the female and Wright had been arguing when he allegedly threw her into the kitchen wall. She told officers she then went into the bedroom, where he threw her onto the bed, then pulled her to the floor and proceeded to squeeze her neck, strangling her.

When officers attempted to place Wright under arrest, he refused to cooperate and had to be restrained. Documents state Wright also refused to walk to the patrol car, then refused to sit down inside. He also allegedly refused twice to place his legs inside the vehicle.

During the sentencing, Wright’s attorney Jay Rigdon credited the incident to Wright’s substance abuse issues. “He’s a smart guy,” he said. “He’s got a substance abuse problem and needs to get that under control.”

Wright was sentenced to one year for the strangulation charge and six months for the resisting charge. The charges are to be served concurrently. Because of Wright’s substance abuse issues, if he is accepted into the Serenity House, his sentence will be suspended and Wright can attend and complete its program.