Detroit Lakes man receives ‘stayed’ sentence for felony domestic assault

Detroit Lakes, Minn. (KDLM) – A Detroit Lakes man was sentenced to 21 months in prison, stayed for five years, following a guilty plea of felony domestic assault.

According to court records, on July 14 at 4 a.m., members of the Becker County Sheriff’s Office responded to a report of domestic assault in Lake Eunice Township.

Upon arrival, they discovered a woman with a swollen lip, bloody nose, cut on her face and marks on her throat.

The woman told law enforcement that 55-year-old Louis Anthony Manitowabi of Detroit Lakes became enraged when he couldn’t find his wallet at the residence.

Manitowabi woke up the woman in a bedroom, punched her and then dragged her out of the room.

The woman was able to force him out of the house, but he reentered by kicking in the door.

Manitowabi then reportedly pushed her down, put his knee in her chest and strangled her to the point that she began spitting up blood.

Officers noticed the blood on the floor of the residence and on the victims clothes. The woman also said she and Manitowabi had been in a relationship for about 11 years.

During his arrest, he also kicked the arresting officer and threatened to kill him.

A felony charge of domestic assault by strangulation, a second count of felony domestic assault, and a gross misdemeanor charge of fourth-degree assault of a peace officer were dropped in a plea agreement.

Manitowabi holds five prior domestic violence-related offenses in the last ten years and was sentenced to 21 months in prison, stayed for five years while he is under supervised probation.

He is also not allowed to possess any firearms for the rest of his life and must complete a Domestic Abuse Batterer’s Intervention Program.

A domestic abuse no-contact order was also issued during the sentencing.