Former San Benito School Superintendent John Perales, was sentenced to two years of court probation last week for brandishing a gun at a person in a car parked outside his Gilroy house in October, 2016.
He also received 20 days of jail that will not be imposed if he is compliant with his terms of probation; 120 hours of community service; and he will be subject to search terms by any law enforcement officer.
He was also prohibited from owning or possessing a firearm for 10 years and he was ordered to have no contact and not come within 300 yards of the victim.
The prosecution sought a tougher sentence, but conceded “Despite the People’s disagreement with the sentence, we believe the community is going to be protected because the defendant can no longer possess a firearm,” wrote Santa Clara County Deputy District Attorney Daniel Borca.
Borca had recommended 60 days in jail, out of a maximum allowable term of one year. The victim appeared in court before Santa Clara County Superior Court Judge Edward F. Lee.
Perales resigned from the San Benito School District in January.
Gilroy police said they had a complaint on Oct. 23 about Perales brandishing a gun at a man parked in a car outside his house the night before.
The victim went to the police department and said that while he was waiting in his car for a friend who lived near Perales, when the superintendent pointed a gun at him and told him to leave. He calmed down and the man left. But the next day he decided to report it to police. GPD sent the report to the Santa Clara County District Attorney’s office, which filed a charge Dec. 13 against Perales for brandishing a handgun.
