A Lawrence County man, charged with threatening a Butler County Common Pleas Court judge’s wife and grandchildren two years ago, was ordered Friday to write an apology to the judge and his wife as a part of his sentence.

Jesse P. Myers. 42, of New Castle was charged in August 2023 with a felony count of retaliation against a judicial official and misdemeanors terroristic threats and disorderly conduct after county detectives said he threatened to shoot Judge William Robinson’s wife and kidnap his grandchildren.

At that time, Robinson was presiding over a custody dispute between Myers and the mother of his then-3-year-old child when Myers made the threats while speaking with his then attorney, who reported the threats to the Butler County Sheriff’s office. He also threatened to “pick people off coming out of the courthouse,” according to detectives.

The threats were made in retaliation for previous court decisions involving the custody case, detectives said.

Myers pleaded guilty to the disorderly conduct charge in a plea agreement reached in November this year.

At Friday’s sentencing, Senior Judge Kenneth Valasek sentenced Myers to serve six months of probation, pay a $1,000 fine, complete 50 hours of community service and write a letter of apology to Robinson’s wife.

Robinson asked for the letter during the victim impact statement he made before the sentence was imposed.

“My wife said she’s over it, which is good,” Robinson said.

Robinson was sent an email telling him about the plea agreement and met with District Attorney Richard Goldinger and assistant district attorney Ben Simon about the agreement.

“We were upset,” Robinson said, referring to himself and his wife. “Then you go to anger.”

Goldinger and Simon explained why they were not proceeding against Myers with the felony charge, Robinson said. Simon apologized, Robinson said, and he and his wife accepted it.

Robinson, a judge in the family court division, said he understands the use of plea agreements, but he is not familiar with sentencing guidelines so he talked to another judge and an attorney about the score Myers received for his prior criminal record.

He said the ordeal impacted him and his wife. The incident was reported in the Butler Eagle on the day a pep rally was held by the Butler Area School District. His wife works for the district and didn’t attend the rally, he said.

He said judges are repeatedly told to have eyes on the backs of their heads, and his head was on a swivel following the incident because Myers wasn’t taken into custody until six or eight days after the incident.

Robinson said he and his wife want a short letter of apology from Myers.

“I just hope you will be a good father,” Robinson said to Myers.

Myers did not respond, but his attorney John Bongivengo said the custody dispute involving Myers is emotional and remains ongoing. Robinson issued a ruling in Myers’ favor, he added.

“Mr. Myers has learned his lesson,” Bongivengo said.

Before Robinson spoke, Simon said elements of the allegations didn’t support the retaliation charge so it was changed to terroristic threats before that charge was amended to misdemeanor disorderly conduct. He said Myers agreed to plead guilty and be sentenced to six months of probation and a fine.

Valasek scolded Myers before ordering the sentence.

Myers’ presentence report contains his criminal history, and Valasek said Myers “has a history of causing trouble” dating to his first arrest at age 18.

“You’ve been a nuisance to the community,” Valasek said.

He said the incident was frightening for Robinson’s wife, children and grandchildren, and said Myers was fortunate to receive the plea agreement.

In the three years before the charges were filed, there were nine court proceedings between Myers and the mother of his child, according to court records. The custody case began in June 2020 and has involved multiple instances of Myers and the mother accusing each other of abuse and requesting court orders.

Valasek was assigned the case after Common Pleas Court Judge Timothy McCune recused himself.