LIVONIA, Mich. — A Livonia man whose bizarre string of neighborhood break-ins left residents terrified earlier this year has been sentenced following a plea deal.
Manuel Sarkis Bardakjian, 40, appeared in court on Friday to learn his fate after pleading guilty last month to charges of assault with a dangerous weapon and second-degree home invasion. The charges stemmed from two separate, unnerving incidents that took place in May, both of which involved a perpetrator disguised in a full-body white hazmat suit.
The spree began on May 13, when investigators say Bardakjian forced his way onto a property on Bristol Drive. When a 31-year-old neighbor confronted the masked intruder, Bardakjian allegedly assaulted her before fleeing the scene. Less than 24 hours later, the terror continued on nearby Bloomfield Drive. Police say Bardakjian, once again clad in a hazmat suit, broke into a yard and brandished a weapon at a 77-year-old resident. The homeowner was threatened with being shot before the suspect escaped.
Following an investigation by the Livonia Police Department, Bardakjian was taken into custody on June 6.
During Friday’s sentencing, the court heard from defense attorney Drew Norton, who emphasized that his client had no prior criminal record. Norton explained that Bardakjian, a husband and father, had been struggling significantly following a severe car accident one year ago. That crash, according to the defense, left Bardakjian with a brain injury and two broken wrists, rendering him disabled and leading to a marked change in his personality.
“The year has been extremely difficult,” Norton told the court, arguing that the erratic behavior was completely out of character for the man his family knew. He noted that Bardakjian is “struggling on a couple of fronts” and requires professional support to recover.
The judge sentenced Bardakjian to 39 days in jail. However, because he has already spent 39 days in custody since his arrest, he was granted full credit for time served, effectively completing his incarceration period. In addition to the jail time, Bardakjian was sentenced to three years of probation, during which he is mandated to undergo mental health evaluations and follow a strictly monitored treatment plan.
As part of the plea agreement, prosecutors dismissed additional charges, including a felony firearm count and an assault charge. However, the court issued a stern warning: any “non-technical violation” of the terms of his probation will trigger a mandatory jail sentence ranging from 12 to 60 months.
For the victims in the quiet Livonia neighborhoods, the resolution of the case brings a formal close to a series of events that shattered their sense of security. Whether the mandated mental health treatment will provide the necessary intervention for the defendant remains the focus of his upcoming probationary period.
Disclaimer: This content is auto-generated for informational purposes only.
Source: Read Original News
