Bellingham man sentenced after pleading guilty to assault by strangulation
A Bellingham man accused of attempted murder was sentenced to four and a half years in prison on lesser charges Thursday in Whatcom County Superior Court.
Charles Anthony Quintanilla, 34, was initially arrested Oct. 10, 2023 on suspicion of attempted first-degree murder after trying to strangle a woman to death in his home. According to court records, Quintanilla called 911 to tell dispatchers he was suicidal and had assaulted a woman known to him.
The murder charge was ultimately not filed, and Quintanilla was instead charged with second-degree assault with a domestic violence enhancement. He was also charged with multiple protection order violations. He has been held without bail since his arrest.
While in custody at the Whatcom County Jail in August 2024, court records show Quintanilla broke an electronic tablet and used a piece of the plastic to make a knife. The piece of plastic was 8 inches long, according to court documents, and about 5 inches were ground down to a “curved sharp edge” on one side with a sharp point at the end.
Quintanilla admitted to deputies that he’d made the knife and explained how he did it. He was charged with possession of a weapon in a correctional institution, a felony. The charge was dismissed as part of a plea agreement.
Quintanilla pleaded guilty to second-degree assault by strangulation and two counts of protection order violations in Whatcom County Superior Court on Thursday. He was sentenced to 54 months in prison followed by 18 months in community custody.
Possible restitution fees for the victim have not yet been determined.