PHOENIX
11-26-2005, 05:43 PM
NEW YORK (Reuters) - "Sopranos" actor Vincent Pastore pleaded guilty on Monday to attempted assault on his girlfriend and was sentenced to community service and to undergo therapy for anger management.
Under a plea deal in Manhattan Criminal Court, Pastore, 59, did not have to admit hitting his ex-girlfriend and former fiance Lisa Regina, 44, in April on a street in Manhattan's Little Italy neighborhood.
The official criminal complaint filed at the time of Pastore's arrest accused him of punching Regina in the head, bruising her, grabbing her hair and yanking her out of his car with such force that she fell onto the street.
Police said Pastore was angry with Regina because she made him wait so long in his car for her that he almost got a parking ticket.
Prosecutors originally charged him with two counts of assault, attempted assault and one count of harassment.
Pastore, who played "Big Pussy" in the first two seasons of the hit HBO series about organized crime, could get up to a year in prison if he violates the plea deal.
Also as part of the sentence, Judge Ellen Coin issued a one-year order of protection and told Pastore to keep away from Regina, warning him not to call or have any contact with her.
The judge also told the actor he could get up to four years in prison if he violates the order of protection.
His 10 days of community service are to be served at several area veterans' hospitals. Under his sentence, Pastore, who served in the U.S. Navy during the Vietnam War, will visit hospitalized veterans during the upcoming holiday season.
http://us.news3.yimg.com/us.i2.yimg.com/p/rids/20051121/i/r1201752375.jpg?x=180&y=260&sig=OYEunmLaJVX9VIsYJwGJvQ--
Under a plea deal in Manhattan Criminal Court, Pastore, 59, did not have to admit hitting his ex-girlfriend and former fiance Lisa Regina, 44, in April on a street in Manhattan's Little Italy neighborhood.
The official criminal complaint filed at the time of Pastore's arrest accused him of punching Regina in the head, bruising her, grabbing her hair and yanking her out of his car with such force that she fell onto the street.
Police said Pastore was angry with Regina because she made him wait so long in his car for her that he almost got a parking ticket.
Prosecutors originally charged him with two counts of assault, attempted assault and one count of harassment.
Pastore, who played "Big Pussy" in the first two seasons of the hit HBO series about organized crime, could get up to a year in prison if he violates the plea deal.
Also as part of the sentence, Judge Ellen Coin issued a one-year order of protection and told Pastore to keep away from Regina, warning him not to call or have any contact with her.
The judge also told the actor he could get up to four years in prison if he violates the order of protection.
His 10 days of community service are to be served at several area veterans' hospitals. Under his sentence, Pastore, who served in the U.S. Navy during the Vietnam War, will visit hospitalized veterans during the upcoming holiday season.
http://us.news3.yimg.com/us.i2.yimg.com/p/rids/20051121/i/r1201752375.jpg?x=180&y=260&sig=OYEunmLaJVX9VIsYJwGJvQ--