LAKE HAVASU CITY – A Lake Havasu City man is spared a trip to prison through compassion expressed by his family-member victims. Wesley Urso, 48, appeared for sentencing Thursday, April 4 before Judge Doug Camacho.
Urso pleaded guilty last month to aggravated assault and disorderly conduct for threatening his mother and brother with a shotgun during a Jan. 8 hostile encounter at a home in the 3300 block of El Dorado Avenue.
“I just want to apologize to the court,” Urso told Camacho. “I’m ashamed of myself with my chemical dependency. It’s going to take some time for my family to forgive me. I ask for the mercy of the court.”
Defense attorney Emily Weiss said Urso has struggled with substance abuse and mental health issues that he wants to address through counseling and treatment. “Mr. Urso understands what he did and the issues that need to be addressed,” Weiss said.
Prosecutor Bob Moon said neither his mother nor his brother want Urso to live with them. But Moon said both support Urso getting help while avoiding prison.
Judge Camacho said he began the hearing intending to send Urso to prison, but changed his mind in deference to input from the victims. Camacho placed Urso on probation for eight years and ordered a 120-day jail term.
Dave Hawkins
