Former San Benito High School Superintendent John Perales was sentenced to two years of court probation earlier this month 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 had 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 High 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, the superintendent pointed a gun at him and told him to leave. The man left, and the next day reported the incident to police. The Gilroy Police Department had sent the report to the Santa Clara County District Attorney’s office, which filed the charge Dec. 13 against Perales for brandishing a handgun.
