ST. JAMES, Minn. - As soon as Jesus Ibarra walked into court, it was clear the 20-year-old is fortunate for the sentence he was about to receive.
Ibarra was in the Watonwan County Courthouse to learn his fate for the senseless beating of an 80-year-old man.
He pleaded guilty to assault in an agreement that he would serve the next 210 days in jail, with a nearly 10-year prison sentence held over his head. He wouldn't have to serve the prison sentence unless he violates probation after his jail release.
"I hope he recognizes the opportunity he's been given here. To turn things around," said Watonwan Co. Attorney Stephen Lindee.
In June 2017, Pascual Sanchez was outside his home in St. Peter on a warm day fixing his bicycle, when he says Jesus Ibarra walked up - likely intoxicated - and attacked, unprovoked.
"I can't think of something that would be more devastating to a family than to realize that their senior citizen relative was beaten up while trying to fix a bike," said Judge Stephen Ferrazzano.
Sanchez was airlifted from St. James to the Twin Cities with a broken arm, broken nose and a brain hemorrhage.
Since his assault charge, Ibarra has been re-arrested on charges of drug possession and assaulting an officer.
"That causes the court a great deal of concern," said Judge Ferrazzano.
Ferrazzano reluctantly agreed to follow the terms of the plea bargain, which are lower than the state's guidelines, but noted that if Ibarra falls back into drug use, he will likely impose the full prison sentence.
The factors leading to the generous plea bargain with a sentence lower than the state's guidelines were his young age (he was 19 at the time of the assault), his willingness to take responsibility for actions, and his history of struggles with chemical dependency and mental illness, according to both the prosecutor and defense.
The victim's family was unimpressed with Ibarra's apology.
"I just want to apologize to the family. I'm sorry for what happened," Ibarra dry stated in court.
"My client's not very articulate," Ibarra's attorney Kevin Green explained to the judge.
"I thought it was pretty pathetic. Obviously. That wasn't very sincere. Didn't sound sincere at all," said Sanchez's granddaughter, Benita Martinez, after the hearing.
But the family is thankful to still have their "abuelo."
"He's a fighter. He's riding his bike again," Martinez said.
And they are thankful for the support they've received.