Man gets almost 10 years in prison for burglarizing ex-girlfriend's home and assaulting her

Aug. 25—A 56-year-old man will spend nearly 10 years behind bars for burglarizing his ex-girlfriend's South Hill residence and choking her.

Spokane County Superior Court Judge Annette Plese handed down the 116-month sentence Friday to James R. House, said Tom Treppiedi, Spokane County deputy prosecutor. House pleaded guilty in June to first-degree burglary, indecent liberties, second-degree assault by strangulation and unlawful imprisonment.

According to court documents, the victim told police House entered her home on East Keystone Court in the early morning hours of Sept. 17, 2020, using a key she did not know he had. She said House was armed with a knife and made multiple threats to kill her.

The victim said House choked her to the point of rendering her unconscious multiple times, documents said. She also said House sexually assaulted her.

House told the victim that if the police came in he would stab her in the eyes and kill her, according to court documents. Police entered the apartment and the victim said House swung the knife toward her face.

The woman received several cuts to her face and hand defending herself, according to documents.

Officers found House on top of the woman on a mattress in the bedroom before detaining him, according to records.

The 116 month-sentence was the high end of the standard sentencing range. The low end was 87 months.

Treppiedi said House has been in custody since the incident and will be credited for the nearly two years he served.

House will serve three years of community custody when he is released from prison and will be required to register as a sex offender, Treppiedi said.

House has five felony convictions for robbery, assault, harassment and residential burglary. He has seven misdemeanor convictions, including four counts of assault and two counts of violation of a no-contact order.