Joplin man draws prison term for assault of girlfriend
Nov. 23—A judge sentenced a Joplin man to seven years in prison Monday for an assault of his girlfriend a year and a half ago in Webb City.
Judge Gayle Crane assessed Van Johnson Jr. the prison term at a sentencing hearing in Jasper County Circuit Court, ordering that the sentence be served in the state prison system's long-term drug treatment program.
Johnson pleaded guilty Oct. 4 to a reduced count of second-degree domestic in a plea deal dismissing a related felony count of child endangerment. He initially faced a charge of first-degree domestic assault as well as the endangerment charge in connection with an incident May 11, 2020, in Webb City.
According to a probable-cause affidavit filed in the case, Johnson, who was on probation at the time for domestic assault and child endangerment convictions, shoved his girlfriend down four to six times, both inside and outside her apartment, leaving her with scrapes on her wrists and a severe injury to her knee.
He also was accused of shoving a child to the ground during the incident, injuring the child's foot.
