A Sun Valley man who pleaded guilty to felony attempted strangulation following an alleged domestic incident reported in May 2021 will spend four years on probation, Fifth District Judge Ned Williamson ruled on July 18.
Ryan M. Applegate, 32, was sentenced to a suspended five-year sentence with three years fixed and two years indeterminate, meaning he faces potential prison time for violating terms of probation. Williamson further ordered Applegate pay a $5,000 violent-crime fine and an additional $1,000 fine and spend 30 days in jail starting in October.
As a term and condition of probation, Applegate must have no contact with his victim for the next 10 years. He also must continue with counseling and substance-abuse treatment five days per week, Williamson ruled.
According to a police report written by Sun Valley Police Officer Kristopher Gergen, Gergen was dispatched to a residence in Sun Valley around 9:15 p.m. on May 14, 2021, for a report of a domestic battery.
The victim told Gergen that Applegate had become violent and strangled the victim. The victim then reportedly pepper-sprayed Applegate twice to escape from the home. Gergen wrote in his report that the reporting party was “shaking and visibly upset.” He also noted red marks around the victim’s neck.
At sentencing, Applegate’s attorney, Public Defender Andrew Parnes, emphasized that Applegate had no prior criminal history at the time of his arrest and told the court that he has already been receiving intensive inpatient treatment in Colorado.
Williamson commented that he was impressed with Applegate’s progress and the remorse he has shown. Applegate then told the court that he has accepted full responsibility for his actions and that he was “praying” for the victim’s healing.
Applegate pleaded guilty to the strangulation charge on April 11, according to court records. He must report to the Idaho Department of Corrections in Twin Falls on Oct. 18 for his month-long jail term, Williamson ruled. 
Commented