KEY WEST, FL — In a recent case, 43-year-old David Casares was sentenced after pleading no contest to aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, discharging a firearm in public or on residential property, and battery.
County Judge Mark Wilson adjudicated Casares guilty and sentenced him to 36 months of probation. The court imposed 365 days in the Monroe County Jail on Count 1, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, and Count 4, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. On Counts 2 and 3, discharging a firearm in public or on residential property and battery, Casares was sentenced to 302 days in jail. All sentences are to run concurrently.
The court also ordered Casares to pay $1,455 in court costs, cost of prosecution, and fines, along with $50 per month for the cost of supervision. Additional conditions of probation include no contact with the victim, remaining at least 500 feet away from the victim’s residence, and a prohibition against possessing any firearms.
The charges arose from a February 3, 2025 incident at a shared residence on Little Torch Key.
According to the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office, the victim was watching television in the backyard when Casares approached and told him to turn it off. When the victim refused, Casares struck him in the face with an open hand.
Investigators reported that Casares then produced a black handgun, pressed it against the victim’s head, and threatened him. The victim retreated to his bedroom, where he heard a gunshot moments later.
Responding deputies recovered a spent 9mm shell casing from the backyard near the area where the confrontation occurred. Casares fled the scene before law enforcement arrived.
During the investigation, detectives learned that Casares was wanted in California on an unrelated warrant and, as a convicted felon, was prohibited from possessing a firearm.
“Pointing a firearm at another person’s head and then discharging that weapon is the kind of violent behavior that puts lives at immediate risk,” said Chief Assistant State Attorney Joseph Mansfield. “This defendant was legally prohibited from possessing a firearm yet chose to use one to threaten another person in his own home. This sentence holds him accountable and sends a clear message that violent conduct involving firearms will be met with serious consequences.”
The case was prosecuted by Assistant State Attorney Carter J. Reeves.
MONROE COUNTY STATE ATTORNEY’S OFFICE
The Office of the State Attorney for the Sixteenth Judicial Circuit, led by State Attorney Dennis W. Ward, is committed to upholding the law through ethical prosecution, collaboration with investigative partners, and the pursuit of justice for the citizens of Monroe County.
[livemarket market_name="KONK Life LiveMarket" limit=3 category=“” show_signup=0 show_more=0]