Man who threw water on U.S. Rep Steve King sentenced to 2 years probation
DES MOINES, Iowa – A Colorado man who pleaded guilty to throwing water on U.S. Rep. Steve King has been sentenced to two years of probation.
Blake Gibbins, a 27-year-old from Lafayette, Colorado, was sentenced Thursday in federal court after pleading guilty in September to one count of assaulting a member of Congress, a misdemeanor.
In March of 2019, the Webster County attorney charged Gibbins with simple assault and disorderly conduct after he threw a cup of water on U.S. Rep. Steve King, R-Kiron, while the lawmaker was eating lunch at the Mineral City Mill and Grill restaurant in Fort Dodge.
His initial charges were suspended in April and later replaced by the federal charge from the Office of the U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Iowa.
In his plea deal, Gibbins and the defense recommended one year of probation as punishment. The Jefferson, Iowa, native could have been incarcerated for up to one year for the crime, court records show.
Leonard Strand, Chief Judge of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Iowa, instead decided Thursday to sentence Gibbins to two years of probation, in addition to an agreed-upon 200 hours of community service.
Gibbins' attorney, Paul Statler, said Strand, who seemed to be weighing incarceration over probation, gave the case "considerable contemplation."
Had Gibbins had any prior criminal history, Strand likely would have decided on a stricter sentence, said Statler, who believed the sentence was fair. The judge also weighed the fact that Gibbins had been home, helping his mother with family funeral preparations, at the time of the assault.
"(The offense) was impulsive, unplanned and did not result in any physical injury to the victim," prosecutors wrote in the government's Feb. 27 sentencing memorandum. "The offense occurred roughly one week after the defendant’s (adopted father) passed away, while the defendant was still under the emotional influence of the event."
Gibbins is a full-time master's student with hopes of becoming a child welfare and adoptee rights advocate, according to the plea agreement. He also has a part-time job.
Fort Dodge police said they believed King was targeted by Gibbins because of his role as a congressman. Gibbins did not know King was going to be at the restaurant, police say.
"Something the sentencing judge stressed was that this was a very serious offense and it was a difficult decision for the judge because he wants to be sure to provide adequate deterrents," Statler told the Des Moines Register on Thursday. "The sentencing judge does not want to send the message that it is OK to assault a congressman, and we respect that."
A spokesman for King did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Statler said his client didn't wish to comment immediately following his sentencing.
A GoFundMe campaign established to help cover Gibbins' legal fees was launched in March of 2019. Since then, it's raised more than $5,600 from more than 270 donors.
"Social media has sort of portrayed him as a social justice warrior when, in fact, he's a very reserved young man," Statler remarked Thursday about Gibbins. "There's a lot more to him than just this event."
Follow Anna Spoerre on Twitter: @annaspoerre
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Steve King: Man gets probation for throwing water on Iowa Republican
